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A young Russian street musician, Diana Loginova, 18, who spent nearly two weeks in jail earlier this month, was on Tuesday found guilty of “discrediting” the Russian army, resulting in a 30,000 rouble (£369) fine.
Ms Loginova, a music student who performs as Naoko with her band Stoptime, faced the charges after her arrest on 15 October. This followed a viral performance on Russian social media of the popular anti-Kremlin song “Swan Lake Cooperative” by exiled Russian rapper Noize MC.
She had previously served a 13-day jail sentence for an administrative offence of “organising an unplanned gathering” that obstructed public access to the metro.
Two of her bandmates also received short custodial sentences. Following her release, authorities brought the additional administrative charge of “discrediting” the Russian military, specifically citing her public performance of another song titled “You are a soldier.”
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Lead singer of pop band Stoptime Diana Loginova (R), who was detained after publicly singing songs by bands known for their opposition to the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, attends court hearings in Saint Petersburg. (AFP via Getty Images)
The St Petersburg court found her guilty on Tuesday of “discrediting” the Russian army for playing that song.
The artist who wrote it, Monetochka, lives abroad and was placed on Russia’s wanted list last year. She has also been labelled a “foreign agent” by the Russian government.
A Reuters reporter in the courtroom said Loginova was not released from custody following the ruling on Tuesday. Instead, Interior Ministry officers drove away with her from the courthouse in a civilian car.
Loginova went viral earlier this month after video posted online showed her playing the Noize MC song “Swan Lake Cooperative” on St Petersburg’s Nevsky Prospekt as onlookers chanted along.
Noize MC is openly critical of the Kremlin and lives in Lithuania. Russian banned his song in May on the grounds it contained “hostile, hateful attitudes towards people” and promoted “violent changes to the foundation of the constitutional order”.
Last week, another young street musician, Yevgeny Mikhailov, was jailed for 14 days in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg after he performed songs by Noize MC and other anti-Kremlin artists in support of Loginova and her bandmates.
Mikhailov was found guilty of petty hooliganism and “discrediting” the Russian army, according to independent news outlet Mediazona.