Maria Zholobova

Affiliated media: Important Stories, Journalist

Incident date: May 26, 2023

Attack type:

• Fines and other restrictions following administrative offences

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: OVD-Info

Location: Russia, Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg

Additional information:

The Kalininsky District Court of St. Petersburg fined the journalist of Important Stories Maria Zholobova RUB 5,000 under the article on cooperation with an «undesirable» organisation (Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation). The report was drawn up on the journalist because she had sent a letter to the Russian defence-industrial enterprise Special Technological Center, introducing herself as a correspondent of Important Stories. The report states that Zholobova requested information about «products produced by the enterprise» and the fulfilment of the state defence order. This is the first case of persecution for working for a media outlet recognised as an «undesirable» organisation.