FASHION INFLUENCER VERONIKA LOGINOVA, 18, FACES SIX YEARS IN JAIL FOR USING INSTAGRAM IN RUSSIA
SEP 24, 2022 (16H16)
She was accused by the Kuntsevskaya Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office of "extremism" by "performing actions to attract users to social networks Facebook and Instagram".
In March, Facebook and Instagram were banned in Russia, after authorities declared they were "carrying out extremist activities".
Loginova said in tears she wouldn't let the threat stop her from using her account:
"Any day prosecutors can come to your house.
I never touched politics and now I face six years in jailfor running Instagram.
Good morning, you woke up in Russia. And while we don't speak about such things, I will still speak.
I never touched politics and now I face six years in jailfor running Instagram.
Good morning, you woke up in Russia. And while we don't speak about such things, I will still speak.
She's been told by two state prosecutors that her audience of over 1.1 million on Instagram and YouTube makes her "stands out too much".
The fashion influencer spoke about the realities of living in Russia:
"Anyone can have a visit from police or prosecutors and be told that there is a threat of a six-year jail term for using Instagram."
The 18-year-old took to her Instagram account to question the assumptions:
"Really? Do I? An 18-year-old fashion blogger?
An entrepreneur, creator of my own clothing brand that pays taxes to her own country?
A person who writes posts about mental health support, and has never once touched on a political agenda on her blog?
Yeah. There you go. You live, you make pretty pictures, you build a business, you help people, you don't touch anyone.
An entrepreneur, creator of my own clothing brand that pays taxes to her own country?
A person who writes posts about mental health support, and has never once touched on a political agenda on her blog?
Yeah. There you go. You live, you make pretty pictures, you build a business, you help people, you don't touch anyone.
"I am going to get to the bottom of it, and to cover it here," Loginova posted on Instagram.
'But you live in Russia, and among a million bloggers, they come to you. What do I do now? Quit Instagram? Flee Russia? Sue?
'But you live in Russia, and among a million bloggers, they come to you. What do I do now? Quit Instagram? Flee Russia? Sue?
The successful beauty and fashion influencer began her accounts when she was just 15 and has built her following since.
"Thankfully, I have support in the form of people who understand that this is not normal. This is totally f****d up and I want as many people as possible to know about this story.
So I am asking everyone who has a voice, everyone who has even one follower to share it, and to say this is NOT normal."
So I am asking everyone who has a voice, everyone who has even one follower to share it, and to say this is NOT normal."
Russian elites still widely use Instagram. The Defence Minister's daughter Ksenia Shoigu uses Instagram but keeps it in private mode. Recently, topless beach pictures of hers were shared by her lover, sports blogger Alexey Stolyarov.
Olympic skater Tatiana Navka, 47, wife of Putin's high-profile spokesman Dmitry Peskov, is also an enthusiastic user of Instagram and has faced no threat of jail.
There is no record of the Kremlin Instagramers facing prosecution under Putin's draconian laws.
Source: DailyMail
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