Ivan Kotkov, a Yabloko member in the Pskov region, fined twice for “discrediting the army”
Press Release, 25.07.2022
Photo: Ivan Kotkov / Photo from Ivan Kotkov’s personal archive
Ivan Kotkov, a member of the Yabloko party in the city of Velikiye Luki, Pskov region, was fined twice for “discrediting the army”. The first time he was brought to administrative responsibility for a sticker on his car, the second time for posting a photo of his car on social media.
On 12 March, traffic police stopped Ivan Kotkov who was going to Velikiye Luki by car. The police asked about the sticker on the activist’s personal car, which expressed disagreement with the so-called “special operation”. By that time, the sticker had been hanging on the car door for a week, and Kotkov had driven in his car through several settlements in the region. The traffic police officers detained the activist and transferred him to the city police, where a protocol was drawn up against him on “discrediting the army” (Article 20.3.3 Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). On the same day, the city court fined Ivan Kotkov 30,000 roubles.
On 25 April, the Pskov Regional Court upheld the city court’s decision. Ivan Kotkov paid the fine.
On 16 May, the Velikoluksky District Court fined Ivan Kotkov for posting a photo of his car with a sticker on VKontakte social media. The fine under the same article again amounted to 30,000 roubles. On 27 June, the Pskov Regional Court once again dismissed the activist’s complaint. The fine has not yet been paid, but this debt to the state must be paid off before 16 August.
The Yabloko party launched a fundraising campaign to pay fines for Yabloko members fined under the same censorship articles.
Since the beginning of the so-called “special operation”, at least 19 Yabloko members have been fined under the administrative article on “discrediting the army”. They account for 26 fines. A report on “fake news about the army” was drawn up against one member of the party. Two Yabloko members are under investigation as part of a criminal case on “fake news”.
Read more about the persecution of Yabloko members after the start of the “special operation”.
Posted: July 26th, 2022 under Без рубрики.