Russian Federation: Release Women Director And Playwright

Evgenia Berkovich is a Russian theatre director, screenwriter, poet feminist and social activist. Svetlana Petriychuk is a Russian playwright, teacher, theatre and film director.

Since 5 May 2023, they have been in pre-trial detention accused of “justifying terrorism”, and face prosecution and up to seven years in prison. The charges against them stem from the documentary play “Finist Yasny Sokol” which they staged in 2020. The play’s name refers to a character from the Russian folklore. 

The play is based on material from real criminal cases against women from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, who decided to leave for Syria and marry members of armed groups and were subsequently convicted of “aiding terrorism“. These materials include transcripts of interrogations and sentences.  

On 4 May 2023, a criminal case was opened against them both for “justifying terrorism". The charges are based on an "expert analysis” which concluded that the play “сontains signs of the ideology of Islamism and jihadism, as well as radical feminism and the fight against the androcentric social structure of Russia.” Evgenia Berkovich and Svetlana Petriychuk are being targeted simply for exercising the right to freedom of expression and they must be immediately released and the charges against them dropped.