Key facts
- Lida Moniava, founder of the Lighthouse children's hospice, faces charges of spreading false information about Russian armed forces.
- A Russian court imposed pre-trial restrictions on Moniava until October 30.
- The restrictions include a partial home confinement, a ban on social media use, and communication with witnesses.
- Moniava has publicly criticized the war in Ukraine on Telegram.
- Over 1,380 people have faced prosecution for anti-war views in Russia since the conflict began.
A Russian court on Thursday imposed restrictions on Lida Moniava, the founder of the Lighthouse children's hospice, who is accused of spreading false information about the Russian military's actions in Ukraine. The Simonovsky District Court of Moscow ordered the measures, which include a ban on leaving her home between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., using social media, and communicating with witnesses, as a pre-trial measure until October 30.
Moniava was detained on Wednesday after the state Investigative Committee charged her with disseminating "knowingly false information presented as credible reports about actions by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation against Ukraine's civilian population" on the Telegram messaging app. The committee stated that Moniava did not admit guilt during questioning.
Moniava has publicly criticized the ongoing war in Ukraine on Telegram, calling it a crime that must end. According to the Russian rights group OVD-Info, more than 1,380 people have faced criminal prosecution for expressing anti-war views since the full-scale invasion began, with approximately 350 currently in prison or pre-trial detention.