The prosecutor from ZATO Mirny has filed an appeal with the Arkhangelsk Regional Court seeking to increase the penalty in the case against Lidia Prudovskaya, who was convicted under Part 1 of Article 280.3 of Russia's Criminal Code for "discrediting" the armed forces and fined 200,000 rubles. Prudovskaya shared this information on her Facebook account.
Court documents obtained by the editorial staff reveal the prosecutor's request to replace the monetary penalty with a two-year prison sentence in a penal colony. Authorities allege Prudovskaya showed no remorse, failed to acknowledge wrongdoing, and "caused harm to Russian state interests without making amends." The prosecution emphasized her alleged evasion of justice by leaving Russia with a minor under her care, justifying their demand for harsher punishment.
The prosecutor's office further argued that Prudovskaya's lack of verifiable income casts doubt on her ability to pay the fine. Given the online nature of the alleged offense, prosecutors additionally sought a two-year restriction prohibiting her from managing social media accounts or websites.
The trial proceeded in absentia after Prudovskaya departed Russia with her children in March 2024, despite having signed a non-deportation agreement. While proceedings were initially paused during the search for the defendant, recent legal amendments permitting trials without defendants for certain political charges allowed the case to resume. On June 6, she received her fine through a verdict delivered in absentia.
Though the court lifted the arrest warrant and search order against Prudovskaya, the prosecution's appeal seeks to reinstate these measures. They demand her immediate arrest upon detention, compulsory transfer to a penal colony, and the stricter original sentence.