Russian journalist Maria Ponomarenko sentenced to third prison term

Berlin, June 5, 2026—A court in Russia’s southern Altai Krai on Wednesday convicted Maria Ponomarenko, an imprisoned correspondent for the independent news outlet RusNews, of using violence against prison staff and sentenced her to an additional 22 months behind bars. The ruling marks the third prison sentence given to Ponomarenko, who has been detained since April 2022 and convicted on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military in February 2023, and on separate charges of using violence against prison staff in March 2025. 

With this new sentence, and the two previous ones — of six years and 22 months, respectively — she now has two years and three months left in prison. Ponomarenko was one of the first Russian journalists to be detained following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 for her critical coverage of the war.

“By handing down a third sentence to Maria Ponomarenko, the Russian authorities are demonstrating their cynical determination to crush her, having already pushed her to breaking point during her imprisonment,” said CPJ program coordinator Gulnoza Said. “Russian authorities should immediately stop persecuting Ponomarenko and release her, along with all other jailed journalists.”

During a May 25 court hearing, Ponomarenko said the new charges against her stemmed from an incident in which a prison employee had touched her shoulder; she said she stepped aside, pushed his hand away, and asked him not to touch her. According to the journalist, the employee then allegedly slammed her face against a table, threw her to the ground, knelt on her back, and dragged her by the hair.

During the same hearing, Ponomarenko said she had repeatedly requested a transfer from a rat-infested cell wrought with constant noise and dust from nearby construction work. She said the conditions aggravated her claustrophobia and headaches, and caused suicidal thoughts.

At a March 24, 2025, hearing, Ponomarenko spoke about a recent suicide attempt, which she said was the result of bullying by prison staff. She stated at the time that she had been sent to a punishment cell 13 times in the past year. Her lawyer said the journalist attempted suicide three times between July 30, 2025, and August 9, 2025.

Russia is currently holding at least 29 journalists in connection with their work.  

CPJ emailed the prosecutor’s office in Altai Krai for comment but did not receive a reply.