The ECHR communicated the complaint of the artist Loskutov about fines for posters about Pussy Riot

The ECHR is considering the complaint of the Novosibirsk artist.

On October 17, 2017, it became known that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) communicated the complaint of the Novosibirsk artist Artem Loskutov, filed in connection with prosecution under Part 2 of Art. 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (deliberate public desecration of objects of religious veneration). Russia will have to answer questions from the ECHR by January 22, 2018, according to the Agora international human rights group, citing lawyer Damir Gainutdinov.

500 rubles twice in 2012 Loskutov was fined after posting posters in support of Pussy Riot stylized as the "Omen" icon on the streets of Novosibirsk. In November of the same year, he appealed to the ECtHR with a complaint about the violation of Art. 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (freedom of expression).

The Strasbourg court asks Russia, in particular, whether Loskutov's posters constituted an excessive interference with the right of the Orthodox to believe and practice religious needs and whether they defame the content of their doctrine. The ECtHR also asks Russia to clarify the need for persecution, given the alleged prevalence of political messages in Loskutov's artistic action related to the Pussy Riot case and the discussion about relations between church and state, and also that Art. 10 of the Convention protects in particular both " shocking " information and " ideas ". The Court asks whether it was taken into account that the form of expression of Loskutov's opinion was an independent drawing, which is different from the application of obscene inscriptions on an object of religious veneration.

We believe that bringing Loskutov to justice under Art. 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses was unlawful.

Sources

• The ECHR communicated the complaint of the artist Loskutov, who was fined for the "icons" of Pussy Riot. Report of the international human rights group "Agora". 2017. October 17.
• Application no. 12543/13. SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE. QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES // Website of the ECtHR. 2017. September 26.