Russian court jails playwright and theatre director for 'justifying terrorism'

Yevgenia Berkovich and Svetlana Petrichuk were handed prison sentences of six years each, the latest development in an unrelenting crackdown on dissent and freedom of expression in Russia. A Moscow court sentenced a theatre director and playwright to six years in prison on Monday, on charges of “justifying terrorism” in a play about Russian women marrying members of the in Syria. Independent director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petrichuk were each sentenced to six years – one year less than the maximum possible sentence – for the production of their play Finist the Brave Falcon.

They had already been in prison for over a year awaiting trial. In addition to being jailed, both women will be banned from "administering websites" for three years after their release. According to Russian news outlet RBK, the prosecutor claimed the women had “extremely aggressive Islamic ideologies” and formed a “positive opinion” of Islamic State.

Berkovich and Petrichuk have both repeatedly rejected the accusations against them. In one hearing, Berkovich told the court that she “staged the play to prevent terrorism,” with Petrichuk echoing her sentiment. At pre-trial court hearings, the women’s lawyers noted that the play was supported by the Russian Culture Ministry and had won two Golden Mask awards – Russia's most prestigious theatre award.

In 2019, it was read to inmates of a women’s prison in Siberia, with Russia’s state penitentiary service praising.