This episode of The Economist's "Next Year in Moscow" podcast, a bonus episode, delves into the story of Yevgenia Berkovich, a Russian theater director, and Svetlana Petrichuk, the author of her play "Finist, the Bright Falcon." The podcast recounts their arrest and trial on charges of justifying terrorism through the play, which tells the stories of Russian women who went to Syria to marry jihadists. The episode presents a documentary drama based on the trial transcripts, highlighting the absurdity of the charges, the defense's attempts to showcase the play's true message, and the introduction of questionable evidence, including "destructology." Ultimately, Berkovich and Petrichuk are sentenced to six years in prison, exposing the radicalization of the Russian state and its crackdown on free expression. The podcast explores how Berkovich's anti-war stance and artistic work challenged the state's ideology, leading to her persecution.
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