The most talked about story in Russia right now is the arrest of a handful of young street musicians who dared to sing protest songs. It began in St. Petersburg with 18-year-old Diana Loginova , who performs under the name Naoko. Her videos —covers of anti-war songs by banned Russian artists that she performed on Nevsky Prospect—had gone viral in recent months. Then she was arrested.

On October 15, she was sentenced to 13 days in jail for an administrative offense. On October 28, she was re-arrested on the spot and sentenced to another 13 days; and on November 11, she was again arrested without ever being released and sentenced to 13 more days—a tactic known as “carousel arrests.” According to her lawyers, a criminal case might be opened against her. Alexandr Orlov and Vladislav

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