Status: 03/30/2023 12:33 p.m
Because his 12-year-old daughter had painted an anti-war picture, her father was sentenced to two years in prison in Russia. So far he was on the run – now he was arrested in Minsk.
The Russian father of a girl who had painted an anti-war picture, who was sentenced to two years in prison, was arrested while trying to escape, according to his lawyer. “Yes, he was taken into custody,” lawyer Dmitry Zakvatov told Reuters. He did not give details.
Moskalyov fled from house arrest on Tuesday night before the sentence was announced. The Russian-language news portal Sota reported that the 54-year-old had been arrested in Minsk, the capital of Russia’s ally Belarus.
Anti-war picture with the words “Glory to Ukraine”
Moskalyov was found guilty of “discrediting” the Russian army in the online networks. According to the lawyer and activists, drawings by the daughter first attracted the attention of the authorities last spring.
At school, the then twelve-year-old drew an anti-war picture with the words “Glory to Ukraine.” According to the news agencies AFP and Reuters, it also shows Russian missiles aimed at a Ukrainian mother and child. The school administration immediately called the police.
Father had been under house arrest since March
As a result, the father was taken to the police station for the first time a day later and a fine was imposed on him. When his daughter’s comments critical of the war surfaced on the Internet in the winter, the authorities searched Moskalyov’s apartment and initiated criminal proceedings because he had criticized Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine – according to the allegation.
Moskalyov has been under house arrest since March, and custody of his daughter was temporarily withdrawn.
According to Moskalyov’s lawyer, his client could finally lose custody in another trial in early April. According to him, the girl has now been placed under guardianship and could now be taken to an orphanage “within a month”.