Yekaterinburg court imposes restraining order on war dissident Evgeny Roizman

Yekaterinburg’s Verkh-Isetskiy District Court has banned former mayor Evgeny Roizman from using any means of communication — including the Internet — as a restrictive measure as he awaits trial for allegedly “discrediting” the Russian army.

The former mayor is also prohibited from sending and receiving mail, attending public places and events, and communicating with anyone without the investigator's permission (except his lawyer, investigative agencies and other residents of his apartment).

In court, the politician said that he plead “not guilty” to the charges.

The prosecution requested that the court impose a “a ban on certain actions” on Roizman — Russia’s equivalent of a restraining order. Prior to appearing in court, the politician was detained for 48 hours, while his home, as well as the Nevyansk Icon museum and the Roizman Foundation, were searched by police.

If convicted, Roizman faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.

Yesterday, Yekaterinburg residents took to the streets for a “silent action” in support of Roizman by sitting on the steps of the Lenin monument in the city centre. Police officers intimidated those present by giving them “10 seconds” to leave, while an officer circled the protesters, giving them “last warnings” and threatening that photos and videos of the action would be enough for a police report. One protester was detained.

Since the start of the year, the former mayor has been fined three times for allegedly “discrediting” the Russian Armed Forces. At the end of May, he was also fined for contempt of authority. The total amount of Roizman's fines currently amounts to 235,000 rubles (€4000), according to local outlet It's my City.