The Moscow City Court (Russia) has sentenced the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) media expert Iryna Zemlyana to 13 years in a low-security prison in absentia for allegedly attacking Sergei Andreev, the Russian Ambassador to Poland, in Warsaw in 2022. Iryna Zemlyana says that the ruling is politically motivated and is part of a pressure campaign against her; according to her, the charges are entirely fabricated.
The Russian news outlet Mediazona reported on the ruling on 10 March.
Zemlyana was found guilty under three articles of the Russian Criminal Code:
- attacking a representative of a foreign state with the aim of complicating international relations (Part 2 of Article 360);
- inciting hatred and enmity through violent means (Parts “a” and “c” of Part 2 of Article 282);
- promoting “fakes” about the Russian army (Part “d” of Part 2 of Article 207.3).
The Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia claimed that Zemlyana and “other unidentified persons” assaulted the Russian ambassador during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Soviet soldiers’ cemetery in Warsaw on 9 May 2022. The investigation alleged that the “attackers” doused the diplomat with red liquid and tore off his glasses and the St. George’s ribbon he was wearing.
Zemlyana was also charged with promoting “fake news” for two social media posts about the Russian troops’ crimes in Ukraine she made in 2022–2024.
As IMI reported, Iryna Zemlyana denies dousing the ambassador and other charges. She says she only splashed herself, and not the official, with beetroot juice during the protest. Zemlyana explains that the act was supposed to symbolise the blood of Ukrainians who are dying because of Russia’s war on Ukraine. The media expert stresses that the case against her was fabricated, adding that the Polish police did not find her guilty in this incident.
Earlier, on 4 March 2024, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow (Russia) arrested Iryna Zemlyana in absentia on these frivolous charges against her. She has said that the arrest was based on a false accusation and the probe into the “dousing” of the Russian ambassador to Poland in the spring of 2022 was entirely fabricated.
Iryna Zemlyana said in a comment to the Institute of Mass Information that the ruling was political and passed part of a pressure campaign targeting journalists, activists, and Ukrainians in general.
“Clearly, this ruling is a political signal, not real justice. This ruling and thousands of similar ones are part of a wider campaign of pressure and intimidation, as well as smearing journalists, activists, and all Ukrainian citizens. The case is entirely fabricated: just look at the footage and the photos to see that I did not do this. Moreover, the Polish law enforcement system acquitted me,” Iryna said.
“Such rulings in absentia are an attempt to intimidate and discredit. They are yet another proof that Russia can not remain in its current form after the war ends and Ukraine wins. The system there needs to be overhauled completely. Otherwise, it will continue to persecute thousands of people like me,” she added.
Previously
In November 2022, Russia declared Iryna Zemlyana a wanted person, opening a criminal case against her for allegedly attacking the Russian ambassador Sergei Andreev in Warsaw (Poland). Iryna notes that she did not commit the attack.
A group of protesters doused the ambassador with a red liquid as he was trying to lay flowers at the Mausoleum of Soviet Soldiers on 9 May 2022. Many protesters had red paint stains on their clothes to symbolise blood. They chanted such words as “fascists,” “ruscists,” and “murderers.”
Iryna Zemlyana, who participated in the campaign, had to leave Warsaw following a series of death threats.
Poland investigated death threats to Iryna Zemlyana by Russians and others. In June 2023, Polish prosecutors paused the investigation into the Russian ambassador in Warsaw, Sergei Andreev, being doused with paint on 9 May 2022.
The National Police of Ukraine opened a case following Zemlyana’s statement after the incident with the Russian ambassador in Warsaw. Later, the Shevchenkiv District Police Department in Kyiv closed the criminal case over death and doxxing threats to the IMI expert Iryna Zemlyana. However, the court ordered to resume the investigation.
Interpol is yet to decide whether to declare her an international wanted person at Russia’s request or not.
In February 2024, Iryna Zemlyana, an expert at the Institute of Mass Information, was added to the list of “terrorists and extremists” maintained by the Russian Federal Service for Financial Monitoring (Rosfinmonitoring).
