He burned his passport… Imprisonment for a Russian singer who criticized the attack on Ukraine

A Russian court sentenced a singer who burned his passport to protest the attack on Ukraine to five and a half years in prison.
A court in the city of Samara, located on the Volga River, convicted Edward Charlotte (26 years old) of “publicly insulting the religious feelings of believers.”

The war on Ukraine

He was also charged with “Nazi rehabilitation” in a case related to videos he posted online, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Charlotte posted a video in June 2023, showing him burning his Russian passport in protest against the war on Ukraine.

Charlotte initially left Russia for Armenia after the attack, but was arrested at St. Petersburg airport in November 2023 when trying to return to Russia.

Multiple charges

Since 2022, the Russian authorities have increased arrests on charges of “espionage,” “treason,” “sabotage,” “extremism,” or even “defaming the army,” and prison sentences are often very severe.
Since February 2022, thousands of Russians have been arrested, imprisoned or threatened for declaring their rejection of the conflict.