In Petrozavodsk, an administrative case against a schoolboy was terminated

The commission on juvenile affairs refused to consider the case under Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses against a volunteer of Navalny's headquarters due to violations committed by the police.

December 26, 2017 in Petrozavodsk, the Commission for juvenile (KDN) terminated the consideration of the case initiated in the middle December according to Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (propaganda or display of Nazi symbols) in relation to seventeen-year-old Daniil Smetansky, a volunteer at the local headquarters Navalny.

The reason for initiating the case was the post of Smetansky in the social network "VKontakte", published in 2013. Publication was a picture of Putin and Hitler with a swastika on the sleeve.

Images like this are ubiquitous on the web. often used by law enforcement as a pretext for harassment opposition activists, despite the fact that they are not aimed at propaganda Nazism, but to condemn the policy of the Russian authorities. Russian legislation prohibits any display of Nazi symbols, regardless of context, but applied pointwise.

The case was dismissed due to significant violations committed by the local CPE. In particular, on December 14, 2017, Smetansky was taken to interrogation to the police directly from school, while his legal representatives were not even notified of what is happening. During the conversation, the CPE staff provided a minor with activist pressure, claiming that they will bring the case to court, waiting for it of age, were asked about his attitude towards Ukraine, about the activities and employees of Navalny's headquarters. As a result, Smetansky signed a protocol that did not include his legal representative is indicated, therefore, the CDN refused to consider case.

Sources

• Darina Shevchenko. "KGB officers were taken away from the lesson" // Radio Liberty. 2018. January 8.