Astrakhan nationalist Igor Stenin sentenced to two years in prison

The leader of the "Russian Astrakhan" movement was found guilty of publishing calls for extremist activity.

May 16, 2016 the leader of the movement "Russian Astrakhan" Igor Stenin was sentenced to two years in a colony-settlement under Part 2 of Art. 280 of the Criminal Code (public calls for extremist activities through Internet). Stenin found guilty of posting on the social network VKontakte under the pseudonym "Ingvar Stefan" records on the war in Ukraine, he also blamed the comment of another user, which the consequence mistaken for a repost.

From our point of view, a short note appearing in the criminal case calling for the destruction of the " Kremlin occupiers "cannot be considered a call for the implementation of extremist activities. Collective image "Kremlin occupiers", applied in past years by disgruntled citizens to the authorities, obviously received an even broader and even less targeted interpretation in connection with the Ukrainian events. Take this figurative expression as a direct call for reprisal over representatives of a certain social group is impossible, and earlier law enforcement agencies did not persecute citizens for this popular slogan, giving it special importance. If, nevertheless, it is interpreted as a call related to to the Russian authorities, it should be noted that the representatives of the authorities do not form vulnerable social group that would need special protection in the form of anti-extremist articles of the Criminal Code. Moreover, if we take this statement as a call to active action, it is obvious that we are talking about actions outside territory of Russia. On the whole, we believe that the Ukrainian crisis is inevitable. provokes many to extreme statements that are not characteristic of them in another time, and in this situation it is better not to resort to criminal prosecution even for the most harsh statements, if they do not contain composition crimes in the clearest and most unambiguous form.

It should also be noted unjustified severity of the sentence - two years of real life.

Recall earlier, in October 2015 year, Stenin was wrongfully fined for distributing the video.

On May 25, 2016, an appeal against Stenin's sentence was filed, his lawyer Tatyana Ivanushkina said.

Sources

• Grebenyuk E. The court of Astrakhan sentenced Stenin to two years in prison // Caucasian knot. May 16, 2016
• Grebenyuk E. Stenin's defense appealed the verdict // Caucasian knot. May 27, 2016