A teacher in western Russia has been under criminal investigation since late March for making anti-war remarks in class that were secretly recorded by students, according to an April 7 interview on Radio Liberty.
Irina Gen, 45, was an English teacher at an elite school for young athletes in the country, many of whom qualify for major championships abroad.
In an audio recording published on Telegram on March 31, a student general can be heard asking why Russia was excluded from the upcoming European multisport championships.
“As long as Russia doesn’t behave in a civilized way, this will go on forever,” Gen replied in the recording. “They started bombing Western Ukraine… They wanted to go to Kiev to overthrow Zelensky and the government. This is a sovereign state, by the way. There is a sovereign government there.”
“Well, we don’t know all the details,” said one student.
“Exactly! You (plural) know nothing. In fact, you know nothing at all,” replied Gen. “We have a totalitarian regime here. Any form of dissent is considered a thought crime. We will all be expelled for 15 years.”
The conversation was taped on March 18, according to Gen’s interview with Radio Liberty. She believes her students’ parents “persuaded the children to make a recording, which would be turned over to the authorities.”
Authorities warned: Gen said a Russian federal security official came to the school on March 23 and told her she had “made a big mistake” by telling students about Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, including the Mariupol bombings — which Russian authorities have reported. denied.
“It never occurred to me that someone could cheat on their teacher, or anyone for that matter,” Gen told Radio Liberty. She resigned from her position on April 1.
Prison threat: Gen is under investigation for violating a new censorship law that prohibits the distribution of so-called “false information” that discredits the Russian military. It carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 5 million rubles (about $60,000).
Gen told Radio Liberty that she hoped she would only be fined and not made an example. “There will certainly be an excruciating trial waiting for me. And then a verdict, which will dictate how I can start rebuilding my life,” she said.
DailyExpertNews has reached out to Gen’s attorney for comment on the matter. According to the Human Rights media project OVD info, Gen is under house arrest.