Mumbai, August 4: In their attempt to clamp down on the voices against the Ukraine war waged by Russia President Vladimir Putin, the Russian authorities recently fined a woman £250 (30,000 rubles) for sporting an objectionable quote on her bag in a protest. The woman reportedly had "Sex is cool, but Putin's death better" written on her bag. The bag also contained "No to war" and similar graffiti denouncing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
According to a report published by Daily Star, the 21-year-old woman, identified as Alexandra, who works as a web designer, found herself in trouble after she publically declared than Russian President Vladimir Putin's death would be "better than sex". However, it must be noted that this is not the first time Alexandra had a tussle with Russian authorities. She was fined £1,675 for having a tattoo of a dog in a rainbow-coloured scarf earlier. Vladimir Putin Dead? Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky Suggests Russian President May Have Died, Says 'Not Sure Whether He Is Still Alive'.
Recounting her interaction with the authorities, the woman said they told her to raise the sleeves of her T-shirt and examine all of her tattoos. They further asked her to translate what the inscriptions in English meant and also took photos of her face and tattoos. The authorities did not stop there. To humiliate her further, they involved her mother in this and asked her how could a daughter like her be born into a family of such a decent mum. Vladimir Putin Dead? Kremlin Rubbishes Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Claims About Russian President’s Death.
Russian authorities are intensifying their efforts to suppress protests against President Putin's regime and the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Among those affected by the crackdown is Alexandra, who is one of many facing consequences for their dissent. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, despite already being imprisoned, faces the potential of receiving yet another lengthy sentence of up to 20 years on new extremism charges, with a verdict expected tomorrow, Friday, August 4.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 04, 2023 06:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).