RusNews journalist detained in Barnaul

Journalist of the YouTube channel RusNews and local activist Maria Ponomarenko were detained in Barnaul, the channel reports . The reasons for her detention are not known; she is charged with repeated violation of the procedure for holding an action (Part 8 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code).

Ponomarenko worked as a correspondent at the agreed action of the party “A Just Russia - For Truth”, dedicated to issues of social justice and the return of direct elections of mayors of cities in the Altai Territory. She was taken to the police department in the Oktyabrsky district of the city.

OVD-Info was unable to contact Ponomarenko.

June 17, 12:40 Maria Ponomarenko got in touch with OVD-Info - she said that she spent the night at the police department. She was then taken to a court hearing, but the case was eventually postponed to June 21. After this, Ponomarenko was released.

A protocol under Part 8 of Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses was drawn up against the activist because of two stories on Instagram. In one of them she wrote about the rally in support of Navalny on April 21, in the second she published the phrase “No to eternal Putin.” The latter, according to the police, contains a call for participation in protests.

Because of these same stories, a pre-investigation check is being carried out against Ponomarenko under the “Dada” article (Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code - about repeated violations of the procedure for holding an action).

• Activist Maria Ponomarenko told OVD-Info about threats from people unknown to her with beatings and planting drugs. The activist connected this with the picket dedicated to the problem of providing orphans with housing. A month after the picket, a criminal case was opened against administration officials.