A court in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg has sentenced artist and activist Alisa Gorshenina to 10 days in jail for allegedly displaying “extremist symbols,” the Telegram channel It’s My City reports.
According to the human rights organization OVD-Info, Gorshenina’s lawyer said the charge stemmed from a rainbow flag emoji in one of her Instagram posts.
The pro-government Telegram channel URALLIVE reports that two additional misdemeanor cases have been opened against her: one for “discrediting” the Russian military and another for “LGBT propaganda.” Both hearings are reportedly scheduled for May 5.
It’s My City notes that Gorshenina has long faced pressure from the Russian authorities over her anti-war and feminist views. In 2022, a court in Nizhny Tagil fined her 35,000 rubles ($420) for an anti-war protest. In the summer of 2024, pro-war bloggers and activists filed a series of complaints against her, resulting in the cancellation of a workshop she was set to host at the Yeltsin Center. A similar situation occurred in February 2025, when new complaints led to her being barred from participating in an exhibition in Moscow.
Despite ongoing persecution from pro-war activists, Gorshenina has said she has no plans to leave Russia.
