Russian playwright and director go on trial over ‘justifying terrorism’
Al Jazeera
Director Yevgeniya Berkovich and writer Svetlana Petriychuk were arrested over their play entitled Finist, the Brave Falcon.
A Russian playwright and theatre director accused of “justifying terrorism” have told a Moscow court that they are innocent on the first day of their trial over the staging of an award-winning play.
The arrest of director Yevgeniya Berkovich and writer Svetlana Petriychuk in May last year sent shock waves through Russia’s artistic community, which has faced increasing pressure from the Kremlin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Prosecutors have charged the pair over their play Finist, the Brave Falcon, about Russian women who were lured to marry Islamic State militants in Syria and imprisoned upon returning to Russia. It has been awarded two prestigious Golden Mask awards.
Berkovich, 39, has also written poems criticising Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine.
They face up to seven years in prison if found guilty.
Five healthcare workers killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, Ministry of Public Health says.
Vulnerable nations are seeking $1.3 trillion annually to deal with the damage caused by climate change and to adapt.
The city’s southern suburbs have been hit repeatedly in recent months
New York judge cancels a sentencing hearing previously scheduled for November 26 without setting a new date.
Many Haitian children face the stark choice of joining a gang or suffering from violence, poverty and hunger engulfing them.
Tapped to lead the Justice Department, Bondi is a former Florida attorney general and longtime Trump supporter.
The arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant could lead to countries rethinking arms deals with Israel, experts say
Moscow says the Oreshnik, a nuclear-capable weapon, was used in an attack on Ukraine amid escalating tensions.
Police say a ‘suspected prohibited item’ was discovered in luggage in the facility’s south terminal.
The NGOs want the Netherlands to ban the export and transit of weapons, weapon parts, and dual-use items to Israel.
All the details about the biggest two weeks in chess as a young Indian grandmaster takes on the Chinese world champion.