Kalmyk blogger detained at a rally against the mayor of Elista has had his mandatory work canceled

On March 2, the Supreme Court of Kalmykia dismissed the case of local blogger Sota Amunov, who was detained at a rally for the resignation of Elista Mayor Dmitry Trapeznikov. This was reported by the "Caucasian Knot" with reference to the blogger's defender Valery Badmaev.

The decision of the court of first instance to bring Amunov to administrative responsibility under the article on participation in an uncoordinated action (Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses) was canceled. The punishment of 20 hours of compulsory work was also abolished.

In Elista, on October 27, a rally was held for the resignation of Acting Mayor Dmitry Trapeznikov, according to the organizers, came at least 3.5 thousand people to it. Elista City Hall responded to the notice of the action with a demand to reduce the number of participants. The city court of Elista declared the refusal to approve the October 27 rally illegal, but the Supreme Court of Kalmykia soon overturned this decision. According to the "Caucasian Knot", the rally was eventually recognized as legal.

At the rally itself, the police handed the organizer of the event, Valery Badmaev, a warning of liability, and after the rally, some of its participants were fined or forced to do compulsory work.

Valery Badmaev was also acquitted in connection with the action on October 27, and he referred to this decision at the trial in the Amunov case. “I, as a representative, announced the decision of the Krasnodar court, then stated that I was completely justified, so the judge had no choice but to dismiss the case. Now, according to this rally, everyone will be acquitted,” the “Caucasian Knot” quoted the activist as saying.

Earlier, an administrative case was opened against Sota Amunov because of his participation in a similar action on October 1 - on that day, the residents of Elista held a mass prayer service in front of the Government House against the appointment of Dmitry Trapeznikov as mayor of the city. Amunov was acquitted, but later the court sent this decision for review.

• At the end of September, at the suggestion of the head of Kalmykia, Batu Khasikov Trapeznikov, the former head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), was appointed head of the Elista administration. After that, several gatherings took place in the city demanding to remove him from office.