Russia arrests writer Masha Gessen in absentia for spreading ‘disinformation’ about war

A Moscow court has arrested writer and journalist Masha Gessen in absentia on charges of spreading “disinformation” about the Russian army.

According to court documents, Gessen was put on Russia’s federal wanted list on December 8 and added to the international wanted list on December 12.

Gessen commented on their arrest in an interview with TV Rain:

On the one hand, it’s funny: they’re well aware of where I am, and this is all some kind of stupid game. On the other hand, when you understand from your own virtual experience that you can be arrested and sentenced to many years [in prison] for one comment in an interview… On the one hand, we know people who have been convicted of spreading “disinformation” in similar cases already. On the other hand, this is impossible to get used to.

Gessen holds both Russian and American citizenship and currently lives in the U.S.