Sworn swift

As in Russia they are persecuted for comments on social networks. On the example of an indictment of inciting hatred for "quilted jackets"

At the disposal of Medusa was an indictment approved by the prosecutor's office of the Oktyabrsky district of Saratov, in respect of 19-year-old Alexander Gozenko. Based on the four entries on VKontakte, he is accused under the 282nd article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation of arousing hatred and enmity in relation to the Russian and social group “Watniks”. Gozenko admitted and repented his guilt. The document demonstrates the mechanism of initiating cases for entries on social networks; With its help, you can also see how the words of swearing users are translated into legal language. "Medusa" says what is written in this document.

Hostility and criminal intent

The indictment begins with a description of the circumstances in which 19-year-old Alexander Gozenko, according to investigators, "committed an intentional crime of moderate severity."

According to the investigator, “no later than November 13, 2015”, Gozenko had “hostile relations to a group of persons allocated on the basis of nationality - Russians, as well as to a group of persons belonging to the social group - the patriots of Russia”. This hostility provoked the emergence of criminal intent in Gosenko: to commit, using the “information and telecommunication networks” (Internet), “aimed at initiating hatred and enmity, as well as to humiliate the dignity of people on the basis of nationality, as well as belonging to any social group”.

Gozenko posted on VKontakte several comments, which contained the words “vatnik” and “cattle”. The investigator believes with these messages, Gozenko humiliated the human dignity of the Russians, as well as those people “for the nomination of which the word“ cotton ”/“ quilted jacket ”is used”.

On November 14, Gozenko continued to "realize his criminal intent." This time, in his comments, in addition to “Vata”, “Russians” and “cattle”, the word “zombies” also appeared, and also the call to “arrange a holocaust of cotton wool”. The last record of the investigation was considered "an incentive to an violent nature."

Sworn swift

The user of Gozenko was discovered by the Yurkiy Swift account - his Saratov security forces are used to monitor social networks (active to this day). Then, the document said, the records were transferred for examination - on the subject of "the presence of linguistic and psychological signs of enjoyment, hatred, humiliation of human dignity, as well as the motivation for actions of a violent nature." Experts (the text of the document does not say which one) fully supported the investigation.

After that, the investigation turned into an active phase: in June 2016, a search was held in Gozenko’s apartment, he seized a computer from which records were made. Gozenko admitted to the crime and wrote a confession.

Witnessing testimonies

The key witness in the case is the operative officer of the Center for Combating Extremism of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the Saratov region, which found the user of Gozenko. His testimonies were confirmed by two witnesses during the search, who agreed that Gozenko’s comments “humiliated representatives of the Russian nation”. Another witness - in the document he takes place as an “active user of the Internet” (without another mention, how he was in this matter) - told the investigator that Gozenko’s statements “greatly outraged” him as a Russian citizen.

Mother and sister Gozenko - their testimony is also contained in the indictment - said that the accused college was called “Khokhl”, which is why he had a negative opinion regarding “citizens who live in Russia” (while Gozenko was born and lived in Saratov all his life). They showed that Gozenko repeatedly called the citizens of the Russian Federation “homeless people”, “scoops” and “quilted jackets”, but never called for violent actions in their regard. Moreover, now Gozenko has changed his attitude and is not more of such an opinion.

Gozenko himself spoke during interrogation that, being a Ukrainian by origin, he negatively treated the representatives of the Russian nation, since "they abuse alcohol and they are little interested in the further fate of Russia." The accused fully pleaded guilty, repented of his deed and promised not to do anymore. The investigator included these circumstances in the list of mitigating, which allows us to hope for a conditional period for Gozenko in court.

Sasha Sulim