There is no mercy in Russia against those who dare to express their opposition or rejection of military intervention in Ukraine. The latest sentence handed down by the Russian courts for discrediting the army proves it. A father arrested after his daughter drew a drawing with the slogan "No to war" at school was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison for discrediting the armed forces in various messages on social networks. But the man, separated from his daughter for a month, did not wait for the foreseeable sentence and escaped at dawn from house arrest in which he was confined.
Alexei Moskaliov, a 53-year-old separated father, lived with his 13-year-old daughter Masha in the small and quiet town of Yefremov (37,000 inhabitants), 320 kilometers south of Moscow, in the Tula Oblast.
His life suddenly changed in April of last year, shortly after the Kremlin passed a law that sentences anyone who criticizes the actions of its troops against Ukraine to jail. Maria Moskaliova, Masha, showed a drawing in class showing several missiles fired at a family next to the Ukrainian flag, on which she wrote "Glory to Ukraine." Next to the projectiles she drew a Russian flag and wrote "No to war".
When the teacher saw him, she told the school principal. And then she is she called the police, who questioned the little girl and threatened her father with taking custody of her daughter. Agents then began investigating the father's online activity. They discovered several anti-war entries on the Odnoklássniki social network.
Initially, Moskaliov was fined 35,000 rubles (420 euros) for comments critical of the Russian military. In December, investigators opened another case against him on suspicion of discrediting the military in a June entry.
On March 1, Alexei Moskaliov was arrested. He himself denounced that he was attacked at the police station. The judges imposed house arrest on him as a precautionary measure. But without his daughter. The authorities decided to separate the family. The social services sent Masha Moskaliova to a center for minors, where she has not been allowed to communicate with her father or receive visitors, explained the independent deputy Olga Podolskaya. Her only contact has been the defense lawyer of her father, Vladimir Biliyenko.
On March 12, the Yefremov Commission for Minors' Affairs filed a lawsuit to withdraw parental rights from the father. The same measure was presented against the mother, who does not live with them.
Since it began, this case has sparked rejection among Russian human rights activists and an online campaign to reunite father and daughter.
That, however, has not stopped the judicial machine, like any machine that is alien to any sentiment.
The judicial process against Alexéi Moskaliov began last Monday. He attended and pleaded not guilty. A day later he was already convicted and sentenced to two years in prison, in addition to three without being able to use the internet.
However, the sentence could not be communicated. The court secretary announced that she had escaped and her whereabouts were unknown.
What will happen now with little Masha?
His fate will be decided next month. Justice has set April 6 as the date for the trial that can deprive his father of parental authority. According to Biliyenko, social services will consider possible applications for foster care by relatives and other interested parties. They might as well send her to an orphanage.
According to a video published by the independent media Sota.vision, Biliyenko visited her this Tuesday in the juvenile center. She came back with drawings that she had made for her father. She also photographed a letter that she had written to him. It reads: "Dad, you are my hero."
