Special | 9m 57s | Video has closed captioning.
An artist posted anti-war stickers in a Russian grocery store–and now faces up to 10 years in prison. Her girlfriend is fighting for her release. This is their story.
Aired: 11/05/23
♪ ♪ SONIA (in Russian): To my shame, I've not been interested in politics for many years.
(bombs exploding) When the war broke out in Ukraine, everything changed.
♪ ♪ Sasha and I met five-and-a-half years ago.
♪ ♪ Sasha moved in with me.
We started living together as a family.
We realized it was impossible to stay silent and we went to the rally at Gostiny Dvor.
PROTESTORS (in Russian): No to war!
No to war!
(in Russian): I wanted to say, "No to war!"
(people screaming) (protestors chanting) SONIA (in Russian): Nobody could have imagined that such events would begin at the end of February.
And political repression would unfold so widely across the country.
(people shouting) The words "no to war" are considered extremist here.
You could go to prison for ten or 15 years.
This explains why hundreds of thousands don't go to the protests.
Everyone who opposes is beaten, imprisoned and tortured.
REPORTER: President Putin making it clear he will not back down in Ukraine calling up hundreds of thousands of men, a move that prompted widespread protests.
PUTIN (in Russian): Glory to our heroic forces.
For Russia, for victory.
Oorah.
SOLDIERS: Oorah!
Oorah!
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The idea of anti-war stickers instead of price labels became popular in Russia.
♪ ♪ These stickers, they are very similar to regular store price labels.
But instead of the prices, there are numbers about the war in Ukraine.
♪ ♪ I think Sasha saw these photos on the internet and decided to do the same.
♪ ♪ Sasha left five anti-war stickers in a shop.
♪ ♪ I remember well the day when Sasha was arrested.
The precise reason for her arrest was the price label with information about the victims in Mariupol.
The official line is that this did not happen, so it's considered a fake statement against the Russian army and therefore a criminal offense.
♪ ♪ (cheering) A pensioner informed on her.
Using surveillance cameras, they identified her and tracked her to a friend's house.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ No one can predict what's going to happen.
If we had independent courts then Sasha's case would not even be considered.
Leaving stickers in a store is no crime.
And certainly does not deserve five or ten years in prison.
(clapping) She's escorted, handcuffed every time, like a dangerous criminal.
It would mean a lot to me if Sasha was taken out of the cage.
It would be a chance to hug her and feel her warmth.
(people speaking Russian in background) JUDGE (in Russian): In accordance with the criminal code, the court has decided to extend the detention of Alexandra (Sasha).
The session is closed.
GUARD (in Russian): Everyone must leave please.
SONIA (in Russian): I love you, Sasha, stay strong.
Stay strong, my love.
I'll be writing letters to you.
I want to tell you how my days are going.
Write to me too.
GUARD (in Russian): Everyone, please leave the room.
SONIA (in Russian): I love you.
SONIA'S FRIEND (in Russian): Can we stay a little bit longer, one more minute?
Stay strong, we'll meet soon.
Well, we didn't hope for much, did we?
SONIA (in Russian): I just want them to let her go.
SONIA'S FRIEND (in Russian): Stay calm, whatever happens let's not get too upset.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ SONIA (in Russian): Sasha often depicts what is happening in her jail cell or during walks.
♪ ♪ INTERVIEWER (in Russian): Of course there's no way of knowing what's going on in there?
SONIA (in Russian:) No other way to find out as you can't take pictures there.
This is the queue for food in the cell.
Food is put through this hatch.
♪ ♪ I've always loved this drawing.
Sasha is pictured with the walls of the prison collapsed and she is free.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ PUTIN (in Russian): Any people, and even more so Russian people, will always be able to distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors and simply spit them out.
Like a fly that accidentally flew into the mouth, spit them out.
I am convinced that such a natural and necessary self-cleansing of society will only strengthen our country.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ SUPPORTER (in Russian): Hello, Sasha!
We're with you!
(supporters clapping) ♪ ♪ SUPPORTER (in Russian): How are you, Sasha?
SASHA (in Russian): I'm fine, I'm not allowed to communicate.
SUPPORTER (in Russian): You can't talk?
GUARD (in Russian): Talking is prohibited, otherwise I'll kick you out.
♪ ♪ SONIA (in Russian): I see the future as very uncertain.
Sasha's arrest has changed both our lives.
I don't know what's going to happen next.
We don't make plans.
♪ ♪ INTERVIEWER (in Russian): What kind of future would you like for Russia?
SONIA (in Russian): I hope I'm not going to prison for answering that question.
I would like to live in a free and democratic country where there are free elections and freedom to assemble, freedom to express yourself so that if people don't like something they can gather peacefully and non-violently speak out.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
Interactive
Explore this interactive that tells the stories of over a dozen Korean adoptees as they search for the truth about their origins — a collaboration between FRONTLINE and The Associated Press.
Explore
