Russian doctors call for release of imprisoned artist who protested Ukraine war

By ELISE MORTON
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — More than 100 Russian doctors have signed an open letter demanding the immediate release of an artist and musician who was sentenced to seven years in prison for swapping supermarket price tags with antiwar messages. The letter calling for Sasha Skochilenko to be freed was addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and published on Saturday. It warns that time in prison could lead to a “significant deterioration” in the 33-year-old artist’s health since she has a “number of severe chronic diseases that require proper medical supervision and a special diet.” A Russian court sentenced Skochilenko on Thursday. She was convicted of spreading false information about the military with her messages about the war in Ukraine.