Russia’s Constitutional Court refuses to abolish ‘discreditation of Russian military’ law

Russia’s Constitutional Court has refused to consider the complaints of 13 applicants who requested to declare the law on discreditation of the Russian military unconstitutional, as per OVD-Info.

The complaint was filed by OVD-Info, Memorial, Russia Behind Bars, and individuals who were charged with discreditation, including politician Ilya Yashin who was sent to prison for 8.5 years for “spreading fakes about the Russian military” after he had been fined for discreditation on several occasions. A total of 23 applicants filed their complaints; 13 of those were rejected and 10 more are still being considered.

The applicants noted that the corresponding article of the Russian Code on Administrative Offences violates over a dozen of articles of the Russian Constitution, including those on the right to freedom of conscience, thought, freedom of ideas and speech, and the right to assemble peacefully. In addition to that, the complainants pointed out that the law is discriminatory since only the people with an anti-war stance can be prosecuted.

The Constitutional Court handed down the decision behind closed doors on 30 May but did not announce it. The rulings of the court say that the article on “discrediting” does not contradict the constitutional rights of Russian citizens, and it is necessary to maintain the morale of the Russian military, since criticism can have a “negative impact” on the armed forces and “assist forces that oppose the interests” of the Russian Federation.

In addition, the Constitutional Court concluded that the state is a “constitutional value”, and support for the war in Ukraine is a “constitutional principle”.

The ruling also states that the decisions of the Russian authorities cannot be doubted, because they are aimed “at protecting the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens and maintaining international peace and security.”

According to Mediazona, since March 2022, Russian courts have received more than 7,000 administrative cases on “discrediting” the Russian army.