A Russian court sentenced a woman who criticized the war in Ukraine to a fine, despite the fact that she asked for imprisonment, reports Guardian.

Soldiers at the frontPhoto: Dmytro Smolenko / Avalon / Profimedia Images

Marina Novikova, a 65-year-old lawyer, was found guilty of “spreading false information” about the Russian military, which was made a crime after Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine.

Novikova’s posts on the Telegram messaging app condemned the invasion and criticized the Russian government, Sky News reported.

The prosecutor’s office demanded three years of imprisonment, and Novikova asked the court to send her to custody instead of a fine of at least 700,000 rubles (over 7,800 euros).

But instead, the court in Siversk imposed a fine of one million rubles (over 11,000 euros), reported the Russian human rights group “OVD-Info” with reference to the woman’s husband Oleksandr Havrik.