Journalist Maria Ponomarenko was sentenced to a year and 10 months in prison in the case of causing harm to a prison officer

The Rubtsovsky City Court of the Altai Territory sentenced journalist Maria Ponomarenko to a year and 10 months in prison in the case of disorganizing the activities of institutions that ensure isolation from society. “Prison Lawyer” writes about the court decision.

Ponomarenko was found guilty of causing harm not dangerous to life and health to a correctional officer (Part 2 of Article 321 of the Criminal Code). Taking into account previous sentences, the final sentence was two years and three months in prison.

The reason for the criminal case was a conflict with an employee of the Federal Penitentiary Service in IK-9 in Rubtsovsk, Altai Territory. Moreover, the journalist had already been tried under Article 321 - in March 2025 she was sentenced to a year and 10 months in prison. The prosecution alleged that Ponomarenko then attacked an employee of IK-6 in Shipunovo.

In the colony, the journalist was serving a sentence in the case of spreading “fake news” about the Russian army - in February 2023, she was sentenced to six years in prison because of a telegram post about a Russian airstrike on a drama theater in Mariupol. Since April 2022, Ponomarenko has been in custody.

In the colony, the woman’s physical and mental health problems worsened. Lawyer Dmitry Shito, who previously defended Ponomarenko, emphasized that the journalist had previously been diagnosed with hysterical personality disorder and needed medical psychotherapeutic help.

Shortly before the verdict was announced in 2025, Ponomarenko spoke about her attempt to open her veins “due to constant bullying from the administration.” Over the summer, she made several more suicide attempts. While in prison, the journalist also went on hunger strike several times.

In May of this year, Ponomarenko, during a meeting with a friend, reported new bullying in the Altai colony. According to the journalist, she is kept in a solitary cell measuring seven square meters, despite the claustrophobia.

“A person with claustrophobia is kept in a room seven square meters, the window is against the wall - there is not even space in the window. To see a piece of sky, you need to come close to the window and look up, because it’s impossible to see it just from the camera. I’m sitting there, and every day is a feeling of incredible round-the-clock torture,” RusNews quoted the words of the convict.