Veronika Orlova

Affiliated media: SotaVision, Reporter

Incident date: May 7, 2025

Attack type:

• Administrative arrest, remand, pre-trial detention, prison

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: OVD Info

Location: Russia, Moscow, Moscow

Additional information:

The Tverskoy District Court of Moscow sentenced 19-year-old SotavVsion correspondent Veronika Orlova to 13 days in jail under Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (disobeying police officers). The journalist was detained on the morning of May 6 near the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge, where she was filming activist Grigory Saksonov, who had climbed down a rope into the river with a poster reading “Putin is Hitler.” Orlova stated that she was not involved in the protest and was on her way to the Supreme Court. The court rejected all of the defense's motions, including requests for video recordings and for her age and health to be recorded. After the hearing, Orlova and Saksonov were held in a stuffy police van all night from May 7 to May 8. A detention center employee treated Orlova roughly and did not give her any hygiene products.