Russian Pediatrician Sentenced to Five Years over Alleged Anti-War Remarks
Dr. Nadezhda Buyanova, a 68-year-old pediatrician, was led into a Russian courtroom, her hands cuffed and her face framed by the glass walls of a metal cage. Awaiting her sentence, she spoke with disbelief.
“This is absurd, just beyond belief,” she said, her voice steady despite the gravity of the moment. “I still can’t wrap my head around how this is happening to me.”
Her ordeal began when a patient’s mother accused her of making disparaging remarks about the Russian military and justifying attacks on Russian soldiers in Ukraine. The accusations were based solely on the mother’s claim, with no video or audio evidence to substantiate the allegations.
In February, Buyanova was arrested under Russia’s strict law against “spreading false information” about the military. Following a brief period of house arrest, she was moved to pre-trial detention, where she awaited the trial that would determine her fate.
As court officials ordered journalists out before the judge arrived, Buyanova’s supporters gathered anxiously in the corridor. Moments later, the courtroom doors opened, and an anguished cry echoed from the public gallery.
“Five-and-a-half years in a penal colony!” one of her supporters exclaimed, stunned by the severe sentence.
Buyanova’s lawyer, Oskar Cherdzhiyev, was equally shocked. “We knew this could happen in today’s climate, but the severity is truly monstrous,” he said. “A few words were all it took to land her behind bars for years.”
One supporter, Alina, reflected on the outcome with sadness. “We all hoped for a miracle. At least she knows we stood by her,” she said quietly. “But it’s hard to find words right now. We’re all in shock.”
The legislation used to prosecute Buyanova is one of several that Russia enacted to silence dissent following its intensified military actions in Ukraine. This harsh sentence sends a clear message: any criticism of Russia’s actions, no matter how small, risks severe punishment. As the conflict abroad intensifies, so too does repression at home.
