Russian journalist who staged on-air protest wins 'creative dissent' award

Marina Ovsyannikova, the Ukrainian-born Russian journalist who staged an anti-war protest during a live broadcast on Russian TV has been awarded the Vaclav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent.

Osyannikova interrupted a live news bulletin on Russian state TV during the first few weeks of the invasion, holding up a sign which called for "no war."

In a tweet, Osyannikova dedicated the award to Ukrainians who have been displaced by Russia's invasion.

«? ???? ????????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ????????»,- ??? ????? ?????? ?????, ??????? ? ??????? ?? ?????.
?????????? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ? ?????, ??????? ????? ?????? ? ?????????? ???????. ????? ????????, ???????? ???, ???? ???????… pic.twitter.com/1mX503Qis2

— Marina Ovsyannikova (@newslady19) May 25, 2022

The award for creative dissent was established by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) and honors those who engage in creative ways of dissent to challenge injustice.

The prize is named after the late HRF chairman, Vaclav Havel, who led a nonviolent revolution which ultimately freed the former Czechoslovakia from communist rule.

The award ceremony took place in Oslo on Wednesday.