Aleksandra Skochilenko, Russia 

On 31 March 2022, Aleksandra replaced price tags in a local supermarket in Saint Petersburg with little paper labels containing facts about the invasion. Aleksandra was arrested and charged for her peaceful action. She has been held in detention ever since, in terrible conditions. 

Aleksandra (or Sasha for short) fills her life with music and art. In better times, she loved playing the piano, guitar, mandolin and flute, and hosted jams for anyone who wanted to play together.  

Troubled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Aleksandra took action on 31 March 2022. She replaced price tags in a local supermarket in Saint Petersburg with little paper labels containing information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  

In the early morning of 11 April 2022, police arrested Aleksandra and charged her with “public dissemination of knowingly false information about the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” – a new article of the criminal code hastily introduced by the Russian government in March 2022 to try and stop Russian people criticizing the invasion of Ukraine. Dozens of people have already been detained under this new offence. 

Aleksandra has been held in detention ever since, in terrible conditions. She has coeliac disease and has been forced to go hungry most of the time because the detention centre has not given her the gluten-free food she needs. Aleksandra has also been harassed by detention centre employees and her cellmates. If she is convicted, Aleksandra faces up to 10 years in prison.