Human rights group OVD-Info claims that Maria Ovsyannikova of Russia’s state-controlled broadcaster Channel One, who disrupted an evening news show on Monday with an anti-war banner, has gone missing.
Maria Ovsyannikova, an editor at Russia’s top state broadcaster, came out into the street and disrupted her network’s live broadcast, yelling her opposition to the invasion of Ukraine and holding a banner warning viewers that they are being lied to.
Ovsyannikova was later arrested, according to the Russian state news agency. It had earlier referred to her as an “outsider,” before later referring to her as an editor at Channel One, the state-run television network in question.
“A pre-investigation check was begun against Channel One employee Maria Ovsyannikova, who came out with an anti-war banner during the live broadcast of the Vremya show, TASS says citing its source,” according to a tweet translated from OVD-Twitter Info’s handle.
Russia-Ukraine War News: Russia Maria Ovsyannikova Wikipedia
Media professionals from around the world have praised the bravery of a Russian state television employee, Maria Ovsyannikova who risked her life to interrupt her own network’s live news broadcast to oppose the war in Ukraine; however, she is yet to get an official Wikipedia page.
The incident occurred during the evening news program on Russian channel Channel One. Behind the newsreader, a woman entered the frame, holding a sign that read, “No war. Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda. They’re lying to you here.”
Before her protest, Ms. Ovsyannikova made a video statement in Russian in which she criticized the conflict, stated that her father was Ukrainian, and expressed her shame for propagating Mr. Putin’s lies.
The news commentator continued to read from her teleprompter loudly in an attempt to drown out Ovsyannikova, but her protest was seen and audible for a few seconds before the channel moved to a recorded program.
What Is Disclosed By Maria Ovsyannikova On Her Anti-War Pamphlet – Interrupted The Broadcast
Put an end to the war! No to armed conflict! Put an end to the war! “We will not go to war!” During Maria Ovsyannikova’s brief interruption of Channel One’s broadcast, she yelled. “Don’t believe the propaganda” and “They are lying to you here” were written on the pamphlet she was carrying.
The broadcaster quickly cut to footage of Ovsyannikova and switched the frame to hospital as she was being escorted to the police station. In a tweet, Pavel Chikov, a human rights lawyer who is helping her, stated that she had been detained for more than 12 hours.
As TV anchor Yekaterina Andreyeva began discussing relations with Belarus, Ovsyannikova, dressed in a dark formal suit, walked into view, brandishing a hand-written banner that read “No War” in English.
Where Is Maria Ovsyannikova Now?
Ukrainian diplomat Olexander Scherba quoted Maria Ovsyannikova’s lawyers as saying she can’t be found in any police station. Her lawyers claim she was initially detained in the Moscow offices of the television channel’s duty room. They now suspect she is being held in an undisclosed location.
Thousands of Russians have already been jailed for opposing the war, with over 4,000 being arrested on Sunday alone. Russia passed two new laws earlier this month making it illegal to propagate false news about its military forces or call for the conclusion of the war. The penalty can include a 15-year prison term.
Ms. Ovsyannikova could face charges under the above-mentioned laws, according to a law enforcement official.