Russian authorities target play in latest sign of crackdown

By The Associated Press

Russian authorities are demonstrating again that they are widening their crackdown on dissent by investigating and detaining artists involved in a play staged in Moscow. The human rights group OVD-Info reported Thursday that theater director Zhenya Berkovich was detained on a charge of justifying terrorism because of her play “Finist, the Brave Falcon.” The play is about women who “decided to virtually marry representatives of radical Islam and go to live with them in Syria.” Russia has intensified a crackdown on criticism of government policies, other forms of dissent and actions his government considers supporting terrorism. Hundreds if not thousands of Russians have been fined, jailed or fled the country because of the crackdown.