A court in the Russian city of St. Petersburg has sentenced members of the musical group Stoptime to another 13 days in jail, local media reported on November 11. The band gained national attention last month after publicly performing anti-war songs in Russia’s second-largest city.
The Lenin District Court found singer Diana Loginova, who performs under the stage name Naoko, and guitarist Oleg Orlov guilty of “violating regulations for public movement.” The court denied a request from their lawyer, Maria Zyryanova, to summon as witnesses the individuals who filed complaints against the musicians, along with the police officers who compiled the case materials.
Loginova, Orlov, and drummer Vladislav Leontyev were first arrested and jailed on October 15. Loginova and Leontyev each received 13-day sentences, while Orlov was sentenced to 12 days. The court ruled that the group’s street performance had obstructed an entrance to a metro station.
On October 29, immediately after completing their initial jail terms, Loginova and Orlov were re-arrested and given new 13-day administrative sentences. Earlier, Loginova had also been fined 30,000 rubles (about $370) on charges of “discrediting the Russian armed forces,” after performing songs by self-exiled anti-war artists.
The human rights group OVD-Info has launched an online petition protesting what it called “carousel arrests,” a practice it says often precedes criminal prosecution.
Stoptime has become known in St. Petersburg and across Russia for its performances of both original songs and works by other musicians, including late Soviet rock artists, to openly challenge the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. In several Russian cities, local musicians have held public performances in solidarity with the band.
