Maria Ponomarenko, imprisoned since April 23, 2022, in Shipunovo Penal Colony in Barnaul, Russia, has been sentenced to 22 additional months in prison. She was originally convicted under Article 207.3.2.e of the Russian criminal code, which criminalizes the dissemination of “false information” about the Russian military. Her charges stemmed from Telegram posts about the shelling of the Drama Theater in Mariupol. In February 2023, she was sentenced to six years in prison.
However, in December 2023, a second criminal case was initiated against her for allegedly “attacking” two colony employees, including the head of the security department. According to reports, when Ponomarenko refused to appear before a disciplinary commission at IK-6 Shipunovo, she was forcibly taken there by prison staff. The prosecution claims that she attacked them during the incident. The case was opened under Article 321 part 2, which penalizes causing harm that is not dangerous to health. Ponomarenko, however, has stated that the alleged victims were male employees and denies attacking anyone.
Since her transfer from Krasnoyarsk colony to Altai Krai, she reports that almost none of her letters reach their recipients, despite her continued attempts to communicate with supporters.
Despite these challenges, Ponomarenko remains resilient, recognizing that Russian authorities frequently impose additional criminal cases on prominent political prisoners when their original sentences are deemed insufficient. During a hearing on March 24, 2025, she disclosed that she had recently attempted suicide due to persistent bullying by prison staff. She revealed that she had been placed in a punishment cell 13 times over the past year. In 2023, a psychological and psychiatric examination diagnosed her with a personality disorder requiring psychiatric assistance, a treatment that she has been systematically denied.
Russia remains one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists, ranking fifth globally, with at least 30 journalists behind bars as of December 1, 2024, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
From Free Press Alliance, we strongly condemn the continued imprisonment of journalist Maria Ponomarenko and demand her immediate release. She has already endured three years in prison, a punishment that is more than sufficient. The relentless persecution of a journalist who has already served a severe sentence reflects the Russian authorities’ ongoing repression of press freedom.