The trial of Boris Mironov has resumed

On September 25, 2007, the trial in the case of the former Minister of Press of the Russian Federation Boris Mironov, accused under Art. 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("incitement of national hatred").

During the debate, prosecutor Yuri Kondratyev asked the court to find Mironov guilty under paragraph "b" of Part 2 of Art. 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“inciting hatred or enmity, as well as humiliation of human dignity using one’s official position”). The state prosecutor demanded that the defendant be sentenced to two years' imprisonment in a penal colony.

In turn, the defense insists on an acquittal. Lawyers believe that there is no crime in B. Mironov’s actions, and also point out that there are no victims in the case. Sentencing is expected on November 1.

Earlier, the court granted the petition of public defender B. Mironov and State Duma deputy Dmitry Rogozin to postpone the date of the court hearing from August to September due to the latter’s busy work schedule and the inability to come to Novosibirsk.

On November 1, 2007, the Central District Court of Novosibirsk postponed the hearing in the case of B. Mironov to December 7, 2007 due to the illness of the defendant.

On January 31, 2008, the court hearing in the case was postponed to February 11, 2008. This was reported by representatives of the Central District Court of Novosibirsk. The defendant is expected to make his final plea, after which a possible verdict will be announced.

On February 11, 2008, in the court of the Central District of Novosibirsk, in his last word, Boris Mironov stated that he did not consider himself guilty of the crime charged against him.

Let us recall that B. Mironov was detained in Moscow in December 2006, after which he was taken to Novosibirsk and taken into custody. In January 2007, he was released from arrest after posting bail of 100 thousand rubles.

The reason for initiating the case was anti-Semitic propaganda during the election campaign in the Novosibirsk region at the end of 2003 (the release of the scandalous “First Siberian Front” was paid for from the fund of the candidate for the post of head of the regional administration, B. Mironov).

Sources

• The prosecution asks for 2 years in prison for the ex-head of Roskompechat Mironov for inciting ethnic hatred // Newsru.com. 2007. September 25.
• The verdict in the case of the former head of Roskompechat was postponed for a month // Interfax. 2007. November 1.
• Grebenkina Yu. The announcement of the verdict in the case of Boris Mironov has once again been postponed // FederalPress. 2008. January 31.
• Former head of the Ministry of Press Boris Mironov does not consider himself guilty // REGNUM news agency. 2008. February 11.