In Belgorod, an activist was sentenced to compulsory labor because of a picket, which the court considered not to be an isolated event

The Oktyabrsky District Court of Belgorod imposed 20 hours of compulsory work on activist Yury Polyakov for a summer solo picket in support of independent candidates in the Moscow City Duma elections. This is reported by the publication "7 × 7".

On February 14, Polyakov was found guilty under the article on organizing a public event without filing a notification (part 2 of article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). Polyakov will appeal the decision to the Belgorod Regional Court. He claims that he held a one-man picket for which notification is not required.

• On August 17, 2019, Andrei Ruban and Yuri Polyakov alternately stood in a single picket for the admission of candidates from the non-systemic opposition to the elections to the Moscow City Duma and the termination of the case of "mass riots" in Moscow. Four days later, were drawn up protocols against them on the organization of the action without notification (part 2 of article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). The police felt that the activists were standing too close to each other, so the event cannot be considered a one-man picket.
• Later, the Oktyabrsky District Court dismissed Ruban's case on the basis that he had a diagnosis of schizotypal disorder, so he was not aware of his actions. Polyakov's case was also terminated, since at least two participants in the action are needed to constitute an offense under this article.
• In December, the Belgorod Regional Court sent these cases for review following a complaint from the Interior Ministry and Ruban himself, who appealed against the decision to acquit him as insane.
• In January, the Oktyabrsky court assigned 20 hours of compulsory work to Andrei Ruban.