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The father of a Russian girl who drew anti-war pictures fled house arrest. The Kremlin tracked him down in Belarus after he turned on his cellphone.

Apr 13, 2023, 18:39 IST
Business Insider
Alexei Moskalyov, 54, looks out through the window of his flat after he was placed under house arrest in Russia, on March 23, 2023.Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images
  • A Russian man was charged for "discrediting" the army after his daughter drew anti-war art at school.
  • Shortly before his sentencing last month, Alexei Moskalyov fled house arrest and disappeared.
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A Russian man, who was arrested after his daughter drew anti-war pictures at school, was tracked down to Belarus after he turned on his cellphone and will be extradited back to Moscow, the Associated Press reported.

"Alexei Moskalyov was extradited from Belarus to Russia," his lawyer in Belarus said, according to AP.

Moskalyov, who is from the city of Yefremov in Russia's Tula region, was arrested in December after his 13-year-old daughter refused to participate in a patriotic class at her school and made art featuring the words "no to war" and "glory to Ukraine."

The single father, 54, was vocal about his anti-war views on social media, calling the Russian regime "terrorists."

Shortly after, he was convicted of "discrediting" the Russian military, handed a two-year prison term, and placed on house arrest. Meanwhile, his daughter was sent to an orphanage.

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But hours before a court was meant to hand down the two-year sentence, Moskalyov unexpectedly fled house arrest and went off the grid.

A few days later, he was detained in Minsk, Belarus, most likely because he turned on his cellphone, giving away his location, his lawyer said at the time.

The case drew international outrage and was criticized by Russian human rights groups.

Moskalyov's daughter was never charged and has since been picked up from the orphanage by her mother, the Kremlin children's rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, said earlier this month.

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, the Kremlin has been cracking down on anyone who criticizes the war.

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Under Russian law, using the words "war" and "invasion" can land someone in prison for up to 15 years or pay a fine of 30,000 to 50,000 rubles ($400 - $650).

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