The case of Natalya Telegina was sent to court

The Altai neo-pagan is accused under Art. 282 and 148 of the Criminal Code for the publication of anti-religious and anti-Caucasian images.

On July 27, 2017, from the message of the Investigative Committee of the ICR of Russia for the Altai Territory, it became known that the criminal case of 41-year-old resident of Barnaul Natalia Telegina was submitted to court. Telegin is charged under Part 1 of Art. 282 of the Criminal Code (incitement of national and religious hatred or humiliation of dignity on these grounds) and Part 1 of Art. 148 of the Criminal Code (insulting the feelings of believers).

According to the investigation, from 2014 to 2016, holding negative views "in relation to religion and persons belonging to the natives of the Caucasus," she posted images with texts inciting national and religious hatred and enmity on the VKontakte social network. Some images and texts, according to investigators, expressed clear disrespect for society and offended the religious feelings of believers.

Earlier it was reported that a statement about a crime under Art. 282 of the Criminal Code was filed by the head of the neo-pagan community asatru of St. Petersburg, Yevgeny Saltykov, known as Sigvald Godi. According to Saltykov, by posting a picture of a warrior in a horned helmet swinging a hammer over the silhouette of a burning temple in the Idunn Apples community on the VKontakte social network, Telegina encouraged religious intolerance and discredited the asatru movement. The investigation qualified the fact of this publication as an insult to the feelings of believers under Part 1 of Art. 148 of the Criminal Code. We consider the persecution of Telegina under Art. 148 of the Criminal Code, because we are convinced that the concept of "insulting the feelings of believers" should generally be excluded from the Criminal Code as having no clear legal meaning.

Telegin is accused of posting eight publications on VKontakte; in addition to the mentioned image published in the community, seven more were found on her personal page and served as a pretext for accusations of incitement to hatred and humiliation. According to the Mediazona portal , these are six anti-Christian demotivators: a stylized image of three figures in military uniform, including Patriarch Kirill, stylized as a movie poster, with the caption "Orthodox bastards. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Watch in Russia from the 10th century "; the image of Patriarch Kirill and two skeletons, one of which cuts out the heart of Christ, with the inscription "Holy Communion"; a photo of a procession on a road washed out by rain with the caption: "There are two troubles in Russia, and if the asphalt paver helps first, then I have no idea what to do with the roads"; an image of a skull with the caption "July 28 is the day of the baptism of Rus'. We remember. We grieve", a demotivator with a Bible pierced with a cross and the caption "The Bible is the ideological basis of global fascism"; poster "Evil Satan and Good God" with the words on behalf of God: "What? Man? Are you shit? I am your creator, fear me, honor me, worship me, you are nothing before me, I am your master, and you are my slave, make sacrifices to me, be submissive, endure all torment and humiliation. We see no signs of inciting religious hatred in these publications, which are unpleasant for believers. Recall, according to The decision of the Supreme Court "On judicial practice in criminal cases on crimes of extremist orientation" criticism of religious associations, beliefs or customs by itself, in the absence of calls for violence and other unlawful acts regarding believers, should not be regarded as action aimed at inciting hatred or enmity. Some of Telegina's posts can be regarded as humiliating Christians, but we believe that humiliation should be excluded from the criminal article and transferred to the Administrative Code as an act of minor gravity.

As degrading, but already on the basis of nationality, one can regard the seventh publication on Telegina's page - a demotivator with a photograph of a kissing couple in T-shirts with the inscriptions "Caucasian" and "Caucasian Girl" and the caption "Inkwell: there is no shameful choice." This demotivator is certainly racist, but hardly deserves criminal prosecution on its own.

We also note that the expert opinion on the case, commissioned by the investigation, was drawn up with violations: expert Marina Gradusova gives answers to legal questions that only the court has the right to answer.

Sources

• Investigation of a criminal case against a local resident accused of committing extremist crimes completed in Altai Territory // Website of the Investigative Committee of the TFR of Russia for the Altai Territory. 2017. July 27.
• Anna Kozkina. "What? Human? Are you shit?" Petersburg neo-pagan wrote a denunciation of fellow believer from Barnaul, accusing her of inciting enmity towards the Orthodox // Mediazone. 2017. August 17.