Kursk: the trial in the case of the “special forces named after Chapaev” begins

On April 14, 2016, a trial will begin in Kursk in the case of activist Sergei Lavrov, accused under Part 2 of Art. 280 of the Criminal Code.

On April 12, 2016, it became known that the first session of the Leninsky District Court of Kurs was scheduled for April 14 in the case of a local left-wing activist, Sergei Lavrov, who was charged under Part 2 of Art. 280 of the Criminal Code (public calls to carry out extremist activities, made with the help of the Internet).

The case against Lavrov was initiated in the spring of 2015 in connection with the publication by him in 2014 of a video, which is a handmade slide show with official photographs of Vladimir Putin, overlaid with the performance of the song "Holy War". At the end of the video, there is an appeal to citizens dissatisfied with the regime to join the "Chapaev Special Forces". In addition, Lavrov is charged with posting on the social network VKontakte the publication of the Krasnodar activist Darya Polyudova "Putin! Answer for terrorist attacks and explosions," which also appeared in her own criminal case .

Lavrov was also charged under Art. 319 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities) for publishing the post "Putin - ... squared", however, this case, like the similar case against Polyudova, was dismissed.

The activist underwent a psychiatric examination, during which he was diagnosed with a morbid state of mind, which does not deprive him of the ability to realize the social danger of his actions.

In the video posted by Lavrov, one can see a call for extremist activity (since the word "special forces" indicates the possibility of violent actions). However, the "Chapaev Special Forces" does not exist in reality - it is an open group on the VKontakte social network with a relatively small number of participants, created by the activist himself. In it, Lavrov, apparently a Stalinist oppositionist, publishes rather vague and illiterate materials criticizing the regime, and it is unlikely that his actions pose a real public danger.

The call to go to the square and overthrow the regime contained in Polyudova's note can be regarded as an inducement to illegal actions. However, we believe that the degree of public danger of such one-time statements, not supported by any specific plans, and even more so by actions, is small, and criminal prosecution is hardly a proportional measure in such cases.

Sources

• In Kursk, an Internet activist will be judged for a video and posts in the social network // Rosbalt. 2016. April 12.