A court in Volgograd approved a fine for an action against the persecution of a Maltsev supporter

The Volgograd Regional Court upheld the fine to activist Vladimir Shkatula for pickets demanding the release of Anatoly Boltykhov, a member of the Human Rights Council of Volgograd, from a psychiatric hospital. The Caucasian Knot reports this.

The appeal was considered on April 10 and 11.

On March 13, the Dzerzhinsky District Court fined Shkatula 20 thousand rubles. He was found guilty of holding an unapproved public event (Part 2 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code).

On December 11, the mayor’s office did not approve the holding of a picket with the slogan “No punitive psychiatry. Freedom for Anatoly Boltykhov,” proposing to hold it in Hyde Park. On December 14, police officers drew up a report that a link was found on Vladimir Shkatula’s social network page with a message about the administration’s refusal to approve the action. The message contained a call to hold single pickets in the declared places. The prosecutor's office saw in Shkatula's actions a call for an uncoordinated action.

“There is neither the technical device from which this message was sent, nor evidence that it was me who posted it, nor that the page belongs to me personally. The message said that on December 16 there would be a mass picketing and gathering on the Alley of Heroes. But on this day, single pickets were also held on the Alley of Heroes, and after that there was a mass picket at Red October in Hyde Park. There are 20 witnesses to this,” said the activist.

• Anatoly Boltykhov was detained on November 17. In the evening, the activist repaired his car and took the car battery home. On the way, a police officer stopped him and voiced suspicion that the battery was stolen. Boltykhov was taken to the department and a psychiatric emergency team was called. The doctors examined the man and, recognizing him as sane and responding adequately to his surroundings, left. After some time, they returned, according to eyewitnesses, with “grey faces” and hospitalized Boltykhov.

According to the definition, the basis for the activist’s hospitalization was information from a police inspector and a doctor: Boltykhov behaved “inappropriately, talked about seizing power, as a result of which an ambulance was called to him.”

The trial, held in a psychiatric hospital on November 22, left Anatoly Boltykhov for compulsory psychiatric examination.

On December 15, 2017, seven people took turns standing in single pickets at the Volgograd Region Health Committee demanding the release of Boltykhov from the hospital. On December 16, 10 people went out on single pickets.

On December 20, the Volgograd Regional Court canceled the compulsory psychiatric examination. The activist’s defense stated that “punitive medicine” methods were used against him. The activist’s associates and relatives came to the trial; Boltykhov himself was not in court.