A former police officer discussed Russia’s invasion on the telephone. A priest preached to his congregation about the suffering of Ukrainians. A student held up a banner with no words — just asterisks.
Hundreds of Russians are facing charges for speaking out against the war in Ukraine since a repressive law was passed last month that outlaws the spread of “false information” about the invasion and disparaging the military.
Human rights groups say the crackdown has led to criminal prosecutions and possible prison sentences for at least 23 people on the “false information” charge, with more than 500 others facing misdemeanor charges