The Sverdlovsk Regional Court changed the sentence of Ruslan Sokolovsky

The punishment for the Yekaterinburg blogger was reduced due to the exclusion of charges under one of the articles.

On July 7, 2017, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court considered the appeal on the decision of the Verkh-Isetsky District Court in the case of the Yekaterinburg blogger Ruslan Sokolovsky. The verdict has been changed: the charge under Art. 138.1 of the Criminal Code in illegal circulation of special technical means, and therefore three half a year of a suspended sentence were replaced by two years and three months with a trial period of two years. Prohibition to attend public events upheld. Sokolovsky's defense is preparing a complaint to the European Court of Rights person.

Recall that the Verkh-Isetsky District Court found Sokolovsky guilty in May 2017. in the commission of 9 episodes of a crime under Art. 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (inciting hatred or enmity, as well as humiliation of human dignity), 7 episodes under Part 1 of Art. 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public actions, aimed at insulting the feelings of believers) and one episode under Art. 138.1 CC Russian Federation (illegal circulation of special technical means intended for tacit information). accusations of inciting hatred and insulting the feelings of believers were brought against Sokolovsky for publishing videos full of provocative statements, especially atheistic nature, including the plot about catching Pokemon in Yekaterinburg Cathedral of the Intercession on Blood (for more details about Sokolovsky's videos, we wrote here ), his also accused of acquiring a "spy pen".

We believe that the verdict Sokolovsky is wrong. The blogger could only be charged with humiliation dignity on religious grounds, however, humiliation of dignity, with our point of view, should be removed from Art. 282 of the Criminal Code and transferred to the Code of Administrative Offenses, where there is already an article on insult, since such acts are not pose a serious threat to society. We opposed the amendments according to which Art. 148 of the Criminal Code introduced "insulting the feelings believers", because we believe that this indefinite concept does not have and does not may have a clear legal meaning, and the trial of Sokolovsky is clearly demonstrated. Existence in the Russian Criminal Code of Article 148 in its current form violates the right of citizens to freedom of speech and freedom of conscience.

Sources

• Ruslan Ismailov. Sverdlovsk Regional Court changed the sentence to Ruslan Sokolovsky // Sign. 2017. July 7.
• Olga Erachina. The court softened the sentence of the "pokemon catcher" Sokolovsky // RIA News. 2017. July 7.