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SAINT PETERSBURG: Supporters of an 18-year-old Russian street musician arrested after performing anti-war songs in public expressed frustration at the legal case against her as she attended court on Tuesday.
Diana Loginova, known by the stage name Naoko, was fined 30,000 rubles ($400) by a Saint Petersburg court on Tuesday for “discrediting the army” through her performance of an anti-war song by banned Russian artist Monetochka.
Since her arrest, a flurry of videos in support of Naoko and her band Stoptime have flooded TikTok, while other young street performers have expressed solidarity with her in public, despite the risks of fines or jail sentences themselves.
Before that, she and two other band members were jailed for around two weeks each for organizing an unlawful “mass gathering” in connection with one of her performances outside a Saint Petersburg metro station.
Videos published on social media have shown her performing the songs in front of dozens of people, a rare display of dissent in a country where anti-war protest is forbidden.
Following her court appearance on Tuesday, Loginova was taken away in a car alongside police officers to an unknown location.
Independent Russian media outlets reported she could face more severe charges later.
“This sets a precedent: someone being arrested for singing,” said Seraph, an 18-year-old supporter of Loginova near the courtroom.
“Her performances inspired hope. I happened to attend her concert and sang along.”
Russia banned criticism of the army shortly after launching its full-scale military offensive against Ukraine in February 2022, and has detained thousands under this charge.
Another of Loginova’s supporters outside the court, 20-year-old Rimma, said she came to “support Diana and everyone involved in creativity.”
“Creative freedom was violated. I attended her concerts. The atmosphere was wonderful. You feel like you’re among like-minded people,” she told AFP.
Ivan, 20, also criticized the charges against Loginova.
“I came to support someone who was detained for nothing, just for singing,” he told AFP.

LONDON: Defend Our Juries is staging nationwide demonstrations across 18 towns and cities in November, demanding that the UK government end the proscription of Palestine Action.

The group estimated that 1,500 participants will attend demonstrations in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Oxford, Leeds, Aberystwyth, Nottingham, Northampton, Gloucester, Truro, London, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham, Cambridge, Bristol, Sheffield, Exeter, and Lancaster.

UK police have arrested over 2,000 individuals for allegedly supporting Palestine Action, which was banned in July. Some are currently in prison awaiting trial and plan to begin hunger strikes this Sunday.

Defend Our Juries noted varying police responses to the ban, with no arrests in Northern Ireland and 10 in Scotland. Many protesters were arrested for holding placards in public that read: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Defend Our Juries spokesperson Dr. Clive Dolphin said: “This is about, here in the UK, people having the right to protest, the right to speak up to government when they think the government has got something wrong, and fundamentally this is about the fact that the British people oppose genocide.

“They do not want to be complicit in war crimes. They do not want to see people starved to death in an artificial famine. British people oppose genocide.”

Over two years of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of over 65,000 people, numerous rallies across the UK have called for a ceasefire, an end to arms sales to Israel, and the recognition of Palestinian national rights.

Dolphin added that the large number of charges is causing “absolute chaos” in the magistrates’ court system.

Palestine Action was banned after an alleged attack on two planes at RAF Brize Norton in June, causing £7 million ($9.3 million) in damage, for which five members face vandalism charges. Moreover, 24 individuals are scheduled to stand trial for a break-in at the UK site of the Israel-based defense firm Elbit Systems in Bristol that occurred in August.

Some suspects linked to the alleged attacks will begin hunger strikes on Sunday.

Supporting Palestine Action is now a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Co-founder Huda Ammori is suing former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper for her decision to designate the group under anti-terror laws. A further court hearing is due to take place in late November.