A court in Ufa fined a participant in a residents' meeting after two cars fell into the ground

On January 10, 2017, the Kalininsky District Court of Ufa considered the administrative case of a local resident, Elena Masailo, accused of organizing an uncoordinated public event. The hearing was held in the absence of the defendant and her lawyer. Based on the results of the consideration of the case, the judge decided to fine Masailo 10,000 rubles. This was reported on January 12 by the Idel. Realities".

that took place on December 11, 2016 The protocol for “organizing an unauthorized rally” against Elena Masailo was drawn up after a meeting of residents of three houses on Internatsionalnaya Street . Frightened residents went out into the street due to the fact that on November 25, near their houses on the territory of the inter-yard passage, a deep hole appeared, into which two parked cars fell. The authorities explained the failure with man-made reasons, but the residents themselves believe that this is due to the presence of karst voids under the city. During the meeting, residents demanded that the houses be recognized as emergency and urgently resettled. In response to this, immediately after the meeting, policemen came to the members of the initiative group and drew up a protocol against Elena Masailo.

Masailo's administrative case was sent to court in mid-December, after which the accused was informed by phone that the court session was scheduled for January 10, 2017. On the eve of the meeting, Elena Masailo and her lawyer Vitaly Burkin filed a motion to adjourn the case due to the health of the accused, but the meeting nevertheless took place in her absence.

“I sent an application to the court website to postpone the meeting on Tuesday morning, January 10th. Immediately after that, I called the court back, the secretary confirmed receipt of my application. On Wednesday morning I call the court again to find out what date the hearing has been postponed. The secretary told me - and your case has already been considered! Apparently, they decided that it would be even more convenient this way - to hold the trial without the press, without the public - and many residents of our house were going to come - and generally without the accused and her lawyer. Of course, I'm outraged. They think that in this way they have simplified their lives, but, in fact, it will turn out the other way around. We will certainly appeal this decision and draw public attention to this,” said Elena Masailo.

According to representatives of the Kalinin court, during the meeting held on January 10, the court reclassified Masailo’s actions from part 2 of article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (organization or holding of a public event without filing a notice of its holding in the prescribed manner) to part 5 of the same article (violation by a participant in a public event of the established order of its conduct) and fined Masailo 10 thousand rubles.

“We will certainly challenge this decision in the Supreme Court of the Republic. I was sure that our motion to adjourn the case would be taken into account. Considering a case without the participation of the parties, without the opportunity for the accused to defend himself, without a thorough examination of the evidence is nonsense. What then is the point of justice in general? ”said lawyer Vitaly Burkin.