More than 10 publications expressed support for Mediazona editor-in-chief Smirnov and demanded his release

More than 10 Russian publications demanded the release of Mediazona editor-in-chief Sergei Smirnov, who was arrested for 25 days for retweeting a joke indicating the time of a rally in support of politician Alexei Navalny on January 23.

Among them are Meduza , Dozhd TV channel , Kholod magazine , The Bell , Takie Dela , Free Media , Novaya Gazeta, Snob , MBKh Media , Ekho Moskvy and Ekho Moscow in St. Petersburg", "Rotunda" , "Advokatskaya Street" , ROMB , It's My City .

In addition, the Union of Journalists , the Roskomsvoboda project and the telegram channel “Ruthless PR Man” came out in support of Smirnov .

“I can honestly say that when the news about this first reached me, I couldn’t even understand what the point of the claim was. A person posted a post, and they are going to judge him for this. It’s as if a week ago we lived among normal people, and suddenly the whole community moved into a madhouse,” said the leader of the Cockroaches group, Dmitry Spirin, to Podem.

Novaya Gazeta announced that for the next 25 days, which the journalist will spend under arrest, he will publish Mediazona’s texts on its website.

The editor-in-chief of “Echo of Moscow in St. Petersburg” Valery Nechai said that for 25 days the presenters will begin all “Morning spreads” with a review of the press and publications of “Mediazona” as a sign of solidarity with Sergei Smirnov.