Perm Musician Faces Community Service for Supporting Detained Band Stoptime

A court in Perm, Russia, has ordered a local street performer to complete 60 hours of community service after hosting an outdoor concert to support the detained St. Petersburg band, Stoptime, activists reported on Thursday.

Yekaterina Romanova, who played a key role in organizing the concert on October 22, was arrested last Saturday, coinciding with the day a second concert was meant to take place.

Romanova is currently serving a 7-day jail sentence for allegedly refusing to undergo a drug test, a claim her attorney asserts is untrue.

The Leninsky District Court in Perm found her guilty of “organizing a public gathering that disturbed public order” and imposed the 60 hours of community service, according to local activist Artyom Faizulin.

«Although it may seem ridiculous, this is considered a relatively lenient punishment, one that she might even be congratulated for in the current climate,» Faizulin remarked on Telegram.

He mentioned that Romanova is likely to be released this Saturday unless she faces new arrests.

This ruling occurs against a backdrop of intensified police actions targeting musicians and their supporters, especially following the arrest of Stoptime band members, who received consecutive jail sentences for performing music by artists categorized as “foreign agents.”

The arrests of the band led to a series of solidarity concerts and individual protests across various Russian cities, as well as a petition with 100 signatures submitted to the presidential administration calling for the release of the band members, alongside flyers distributed throughout St. Petersburg.