A Russian court on Tuesday sentenced 18-year-old street musician Diana Loginova, known by her stage name Naoko, to another 13-day jail term for performing anti-war songs in public.
This marks the third time the young musician has been incarcerated, as the Kremlin continues its relentless crackdown on any form of opposition to its military actions in Ukraine.
Loginova, a music student, was arrested last month after holding impromptu street concerts in Saint Petersburg where she performed songs by exiled Russian artists Monetochka and Noize MC. Her performances quickly went viral, sparking widespread attention at a time when open dissent against the war and the government has all but disappeared from public discourse in Russia.
Under Russia’s increasingly strict censorship laws, which have been compared to Soviet-era repression, any public criticism of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin, or the Russian army is forbidden.
These laws have turned musicians, artists, and ordinary citizens into targets of the state, often leading to arbitrary arrests and harsh punishment.
Loginova’s first arrest led to a 13-day sentence, but she was re-arrested immediately after her release and charged with new offenses, a tactic known as the “jail carousel.”
This practice is used by Russian authorities to keep critics in a constant state of detention, with the prosecution pressing minor charges to ensure that the individuals remain behind bars.
In this latest case, the musician was convicted of organizing a mass gathering—simply for performing in public—and sentenced to another 13-day prison term. Her bandmate, guitarist Alexander Orlov, was also jailed for the same period. During the court proceedings, Orlov sat flanked by his lawyer and a masked police officer.
Since Loginova’s arrest, support for her and her band, Stoptime, has flooded social media, particularly TikTok, where videos urging her release have gone viral. Other street performers in Russia have also voiced solidarity with Loginova, taking to the streets despite the risk of fines or further imprisonment.
One such performer, 20-year-old Yekaterina Romanova, also known as Yekaterina Ostasheva, was sentenced to 15 days in jail in Perm for showing her support for Loginova. Romanova had previously been jailed for seven days earlier this month for the same reason.
The relentless repression of dissent comes in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has led to thousands of arrests of activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens who have dared to criticize the government or its actions.
Since the start of the full-scale military offensive in February 2022, Russia has systematically silenced opposition, with thousands detained for simply voicing anti-war sentiments.
Despite the crackdown, the voices of young Russians like Loginova continue to persist, symbolizing defiance against the authoritarian regime and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Her case, alongside the arrests of other young performers, underscores the growing tension between the Kremlin’s efforts to silence opposition and the resilience of those who continue to speak out.
