The Brave Falcon Finist, a play by playwright Svetlana Petrichuk and director Yevgenia Berkovich, received six-year sentences each.
The drama, which is loosely based on actual events, narrates the tale of Russian women who fled to Syria during the civil war in order to wed members of the Islamic State organization.
The attorneys representing the two women swore to challenge the decision.
The trial, which took place in part behind closed doors, increased concern among Russian artists about the country’s lack of freedom of speech.
Both ladies will serve three years in prison and be prohibited from “administering websites” for three years following their release.
As per the Russian news source RBC, the individuals who have been under arrest since May 2023 will be relocated to a correctional colony to fulfill their sentences.
As per RBC, prosecutor Yekaterina Denisova claimed that the play included “signs of justification of terrorism” and that the prosecution had established a favorable opinion of IS among the women.
Berkovich, 39, and Petrichuk, 44, stated at the start of the trial in late May that they had put on the performance because they were against terrorism.
“Prevent terrorism” was the stated goal of the performance, according to Berkovich, who also expressed her “nothing but condemnation and disgust” for terrorists.
