In the summer of 2024, the Second Western District Military Court in Moscow sentenced director Yevgeniya Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriichuk to six years in a general regime penal colony. They were found guilty of "public justification of terrorism" because of the play Finist the Brave Falcon, written by Petriichuk and directed by Berkovich. Although the appellate court later slightly reduced their sentences, the core of the charges remained unchanged.
What the Play Is About
Finist the Brave Falcon is not a work of fiction but a documentary-style production. It focuses on real stories of Russian women who met radical Islamists online and traveled to Syria. The creators didn’t glorify terrorism — they aimed to explore how vulnerability and loneliness can lead to tragic choices.
According to Petriichuk, the script was based on interviews and court materials. It told the stories of women who were searching for love and family, but instead were drawn into manipulation and radicalization. Far from promoting extremism, the play served as a warning.
The Accusations
The key evidence in the case came from an analysis by so-called “destructologist” Roman Silantyev, who claimed the play justified terrorism and exhibited signs of “radical feminism.” However, Russia’s Ministry of Justice later stated that destructology is not a scientific field, and its findings have no legal standing.
Despite this, the court accepted Silantyev’s report and made it the cornerstone of its ruling. The charges also included the online posting of the play’s video, even though at the time Berkovich and Petriichuk were already in pretrial detention and could not have uploaded anything.
Appeal and Sentence Reduction
In December 2024, the military appellate court ruled that one of the charges — related to the online publication of the video — was procedurally flawed. Berkovich’s sentence was reduced to 5 years and 7 months; Petriichuk’s, to 5 years and 10 months. Yet the main verdict stood.
Public Response
The verdict sparked a widespread outcry. Thousands of people, including actors, directors, journalists, and human rights activists, voiced their support for the two women. Over 10,000 signed an open letter defending them, and Amnesty International collected more than 40,000 signatures demanding their immediate release.
Composer Dmitry Kurlandsky refused a state award in protest. Some theaters organized public readings of the Finist script in solidarity. Many argue that sentencing a director and playwright for an anti-war and anti-extremist message is deeply unjust.
Where They Are Now
Yevgeniya Berkovich has already been transferred to a penal colony. Svetlana Petriichuk is in the process of being moved. Their legal team continues to fight the case and is preparing to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights if no justice is found domestically.
The case has become a symbol of growing pressure on independent art in Russia. It raises uncomfortable questions: Where does art end and "crime" begin? Can a play be interpreted as a threat — and if so, who’s next?
