<p>A Russian man who was investigated by police after his daughter drew an anti-war picture at school was sentenced on Tuesday to two years in a penal colony after being convicted of discrediting the armed forces, the OVD-Info rights group said.</p>.<p>Alexei Moskalyov has been separated from his daughter Masha since he was placed under house arrest at the start of this month and she was moved to a children's home in their hometown of Yefremov, south of Moscow.</p>.<p>The case has provoked an outcry among Russian human rights activists and sparked an online campaign to reunite father and daughter.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/why-does-russia-want-tactical-nuclear-weapons-in-belarus-1204361.html" target="_blank">Why does Russia want tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus?</a></strong><br /><br />Moskalyov was convicted over comments he himself had posted online about the war in Ukraine. But the investigation started after Masha, 12, drew a picture last April showing Russian missiles raining down on a Ukrainian mother and child, prompting the head of school to call the police.</p>.<p>Police began examining Moskalyov's social media activity and he was initially fined 35,000 roubles ($460) for comments critical of the Russian army. In December, investigators opened another case against him on suspicion of discrediting the armed forces, this time based on a social media post in June.</p>.<p>The banned Russian human rights group Memorial said it considered Moskalyov to be a political prisoner.</p>.<p>A lawyer for the family visited Masha on Tuesday in a children's home and came away with drawings she had made for him. He was also allowed to photograph a letter she had written him that read "Dad, you are my hero", according to a video posted by the independent news outlet SOTAvision.</p>.<p>Shortly after invading Ukraine last year, Russia passed laws against discrediting the armed forces or knowingly spreading false information about them, with a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail. <em>($1 = 76.5500 roubles)</em></p>
<p>A Russian man who was investigated by police after his daughter drew an anti-war picture at school was sentenced on Tuesday to two years in a penal colony after being convicted of discrediting the armed forces, the OVD-Info rights group said.</p>.<p>Alexei Moskalyov has been separated from his daughter Masha since he was placed under house arrest at the start of this month and she was moved to a children's home in their hometown of Yefremov, south of Moscow.</p>.<p>The case has provoked an outcry among Russian human rights activists and sparked an online campaign to reunite father and daughter.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/why-does-russia-want-tactical-nuclear-weapons-in-belarus-1204361.html" target="_blank">Why does Russia want tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus?</a></strong><br /><br />Moskalyov was convicted over comments he himself had posted online about the war in Ukraine. But the investigation started after Masha, 12, drew a picture last April showing Russian missiles raining down on a Ukrainian mother and child, prompting the head of school to call the police.</p>.<p>Police began examining Moskalyov's social media activity and he was initially fined 35,000 roubles ($460) for comments critical of the Russian army. In December, investigators opened another case against him on suspicion of discrediting the armed forces, this time based on a social media post in June.</p>.<p>The banned Russian human rights group Memorial said it considered Moskalyov to be a political prisoner.</p>.<p>A lawyer for the family visited Masha on Tuesday in a children's home and came away with drawings she had made for him. He was also allowed to photograph a letter she had written him that read "Dad, you are my hero", according to a video posted by the independent news outlet SOTAvision.</p>.<p>Shortly after invading Ukraine last year, Russia passed laws against discrediting the armed forces or knowingly spreading false information about them, with a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail. <em>($1 = 76.5500 roubles)</em></p>