Don't touch the president

The Judicial Collegium of the Supreme Court of Tatarstan upheld the verdict against Irek Murtazin, the former press secretary of the President of the Republic Mintimer Shaimiev. Murtazin was sentenced to a year and 9 months in a colony-settlement, according to the wording, for slandering the head of the republic and inciting social discord or hostility. The social group to which Murtazin allegedly incited hostility is understood to be the power of Tatarstan. Murtazin was accused of presenting false, untrue facts that discredit the honor and dignity of the head of the republic in his book “Mintimer Shaimiev: The Last President of Tatarstan.” In addition, on the Internet and local media, he allegedly propagated ideas that degraded human dignity and contributed to inciting hostility towards the authorities.

It all started with Murtazin publishing information on his blog that Shaimiev had died. The information was not confirmed, and a criminal case was opened against Murtazin.

Murtazin plans to appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.