Arkhangelsk journalist was fined in a case of extremism for news about a case of extremism

The Lomonosovsky District Court of Arkhangelsk fined Yaroslav Varenik, a journalist from the regional publication 29.ru, 10,000 rubles under an article on extremism (Article 20.3.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses) for news about a local resident fined under the same article. This is reported by MBH Media with reference to the journalist himself.

Earlier, the journalist was summoned to the prosecutor's office to draw up a protocol, the journalist refused, citing lack of time. Then he was told that despite the fact that the protocol on his case had not yet been drawn up, the court session had already been scheduled.

The reason for the administrative case was Varenik's news, published in October 2019, about a local resident Arseniy Kuroptev. Kuroptev was also fined for "extremism" because of the repost of a text about "a secret plot of Muslims to destroy the Russians." In the material, Varenik quoted part of the post, after which the police conducted an examination of the publication.

• On October 16, 2019, Varenyk’s house was searched in connection with the FBK case. A week after that, it became known that the journalist's accounts were blocked .
• Also, a case was initiated against the journalist under the article on violation of the legislation on freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations due to the repost of the Yektenia1 video by the black metal band Batushka. However , on December 27 , the case was dropped .