Peaceful protest and "other crimes"

Appeal in the case of Kotov: the Moscow City Court upheld the verdict - four years are not known for what

After in the morning Kotov’s lawyers presented his arguments to Judge Nina Sharapova, it became clear to everyone: Kotova should be released. Immediately. Now, on video broadcasts from "sailor silence" we will see how it is taken out, apologized and released home. Even the employees of quite loyal media almost sent a message to their editorial office: the verdict was canceled. But no, they sat all day, argued, discussed. And in the end, they did not apply any year or a single month.

In short, the arguments of the defense are like that.

1. Kotov’s actions did not cause real harm to any person and did not pose a threat to society. So article 212.1, “Dadinskaya”, is not applicable to it.

2. The court of first instance was conducted with flagrant violations. Witnesses of protection were not really heard. The evidence has not been studied. On the face, the indictment of the whole process.

3. And finally, Kotov is a member of the election commission with a decisive voice. A special order applies to such people. He was not observed either.

Enough? Quite. Clearly, reasoned, with references to the law of 12 Kotov’s lawyers, for half an hour, the charge was bred to smithereens.

But this is enough for us, but the Moscow City Court doesn’t care.

He does not care that the pickets have not stopped for a month, that the petition in support of Kotov has collected more than a hundred thousand and continues to collect more and more that Kotov did not participate in what they call “riots”, because at that time he was in custody, that his business went to the international level, that artists, journalists, programmers were expressed in his defense.

All this does not matter. Because Kotov decided to plant, it was clear from the moment of his arrest, and the investigation and the court held in record terms (two meetings) only strengthened us in this opinion. The authorities have something personal to him.

Why did Kotov sentenced? For four exits to unauthorized protests. He had already received the administrative for them and served. This is not enough, now a criminal is needed. But you can’t put one tiger out of 1000 cats, as the lawyer Yuri Kostanov said at the appeal.

Near each hall in the Moscow City Court is an interactive screen. I poked into him, I wondered who was judged here and for what. Explosives, weapons, drugs ... Opposite Kotov’s surname, affixed: “Other crimes”.

Now we know what a peaceful protest is called - other crimes.

The precedent under Article 212.1, suggesting that it can be punished twice for the same thing, there was only one before Kotov - Ildar Dadin. By the way, he came to an appeal to Kotov. Dadin received less than Kotov - 3 years under the Dadinsky article. Kotov was given four.

Dadin at one time got the authorities with pickets on political topics, and what did Kotov get? The fact that he regularly went beyond the “New Greatness”, for Golunov, for Sentsov, for Ukrainian sailors? But Golunov and Sentsov were released. And even by "new greatness" everything is not so simple. It turns out that he went correctly. Or is it moral compensation for power for having to unclench her iron jaws several times? I understand, it's a shame.

Yes, all this is true - and got it and intimidate. But the main reason is different, now we can say -

Since the end of last year, a hunt for Konstantin Kotov was personally. At the very beginning of Kotov’s case, the human rights activist Lev Ponomarev casually remarked: "The eshniki hooked him for a long time."

Now we even know more or less accurately when this happened - after the FSB building against the arbitrariness of the security forces. The gathering itself did without detention (almost), but after it, the employees of the EE center began to take activists. And from that moment on, the cats are in the field of their close attention. Activists are also talking about his personal conflict with one of the employees of the center. Very touchy people work in this center.

Comrade Kostya, activist Sergei Rudych says: “Kostya came a warning about the possible application of Article 212.1 to him. In Moscow, such cases, well, maybe two. This is from the ordinary. " What is this talking about? Exactly.

At the gathering of Moscow State University in defense of graduate student, Azat Miftakhov Kotov was taken when he gave interviews. That is, purposefully. In China, the city was taken a minute after leaving the metro. During this time, it is wise to arrange mass riots, even if you are a joker. They approached him and took it.

The blind man understands that they were waiting for him there, grazed. What this is talking about, you probably already guessed.

And the process itself can be seen how and who put pressure on lawyers. The situation is unique: the Constitutional Court in almost open text indicates the unlawful application of the "Dadin" article on Kotov. It would seem that the conversation is over, free. But the prosecutor’s office sends the CS in almost open text: no, we are right, not you. Who can be afraid of the prosecutor’s office than the Constitutional Court, you probably have already guessed.

Why is it so important to plant it? In Moscow there are enough activists, much more uncompromising than cats. They also have a hard time. They are broken home, they arrange searches, intimidate, crush through places of work and study.

Activist Vera Makarova said:

- Kostya participated in the shares of “unlimited”, “all on all”, “14%”, chose non -aggressive, peaceful. This is his principle, he is a very law -abiding and soft guy.

- Then why? Why take the softest and most non -aggressive of all? A person from whom obviously does not come in danger. “Bolotnik” Lesha Polykhovich told me: “I grabbed the riot police by the hands so that they would not beat people, and received three and a half, and Kotov, who had not touched anyone with a finger, four.”

- That's why. They took and tormented Anya Pavlikova, is it funny, what is the danger of Ani? Close Kotov, and he is a fundamental supporter of peaceful protest. Only peaceful, without options.

“This is a signal: if we can do with them what we want, then with you and even more - beware!”

Anya Pavlikova and Kostya Kotov no coincidence came together in one phrase. From the very beginning, he stood with posters in defense of the "new greatness" from the ships, gathered help, helped his mother Ani.

And several weeks ago, he and Anya submitted an application for registration of marriage. She is under house arrest, he is in the Sailor's Sailor SIZO. I don’t know how you, but I read about this only in books about the people's volumes.

Anya cannot, under the conditions of this terrible game, which in Russia is called justice, come to a date to Kostya, but she was allowed to appeal. Merciful-2019: let the bride go to court, where the groom is visible from the screen of the camera behind bars. He waved her hand.

From prison, Kostya writes: "I am very worried about Anya." But his speech in court: "No one should ever be sentenced to my article, it must be canceled." And further: "Russia will be free!"

There will be, Kostya, the question: when. On the eve of the appeal, lawyer Maria Aismont said “New”: “The verdict will be canceled. Now or in a year or two, but canceled. ” In the meantime, this is the case: the cassation to the Supreme Court and a complaint to the ECHR, which can be considered in an accelerated manner, since the case is resonant, more resonant nowhere. There is also an amnesty that will certainly be. Another question is whether Article 212.1 will fall under it. And this is already a matter of public pressure. It is necessary to hit.

And that means that pickets, protest, petitions, and statements in the press will continue. The authorities arrived inability, putting a man who did not attack her. Thought to scare, but only fierce. You can not participate in politics, not go to rallies, admire how Moscow was prettier, but it is impossible to calmly look at what they do with Kotov. In an interview, after which he was taken from Moscow State University, he said about Miftakhov: "Azat should not be left alone." And Kostya alone will not remain.