Press Release, 28.09.2022

Photo: Ivan Prishchepa / Photo from social media

The Pskov city court found Ivan Prishchepa, Yabloko candidate at the recent elections to the Pskov Regional Assembly, guilty of “discrediting the army” (Article 20.3.3 Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). The decision was made on 15 July. On 5 September, the Pskov Regional Court dismissed the complaint of Ivan Prishchepa. A fine amounting to 32,000 roubles must be paid by 5 November.

The lawenforcement charged Ivan Prishchepa with “discrediting the army” due to the information published on his page in the VKontakte social media. It was about several posts outlining a pacifist stance, which Prishchepa posted from 25 February to 11 March. Posts “discrediting” the Russian armed forces were discovered by an employee of the Centre for Combatting Extremism “during his monitoring of the information and communications on the Internet network” on 18 April.

First, the police invited Ivan Prishchepa to the police office for a “conversation”, but he refused to go to the police without a summons. On 8 July, a report on an administrative offense was drawn up against a civil activist at the police station.

On 15 July, the city court decided to punish Ivan Prishchepa for “discrediting the army, and fined him 32,000 roubles.

The Pskov Regional Court, where the Yabloko supporter filed a complaint, upheld the city court’s decision, confirming that information in the form of photographs and notes with comments on Ivan Prishchepa’s page “contained negative statements about the conduct of a special military operation by the armed forces of the Russian Federation”.

Since the beginning of the “special operation” at least 27 members and supporters of Yabloko were charged with “discrediting the army.” Three members of Yabloko were prosecuted for “discrediting the army” and “fake news”.

Read more about the persecution of Yabloko members after the start of the “special operation”: https://www.yabloko.ru/war-against-yabloko