The Saratov court finally dismissed the case against journalist Vilkov

The Frunzensky District Court of Saratov, in an appeal, approved the decision to dismiss the case against journalist Sergei Vilkov, accused of slander (part 5 of Article 128.1 of the Criminal Code) against local deputy Sergei Kurikhin, according to the court’s website.

“In Saratov, when considering the appeal, the court confirmed the decision to close my criminal prosecution on exonerating grounds, and it entered into legal force,” the journalist wrote on Facebook.

In November 2019, the magistrate judge of court district No. 1 of the Frunzensky district of the city of Saratov closed the case against the journalist due to the prosecutor’s office refusing to charge. However, in June, the Frunzensky District Court overturned this decision on appeal.

Vilkov clarified in a conversation with Mediazona that the cassation court overturned this decision and returned the case for a new appeal.

The case itself was opened in 2015 due to articles by a journalist about Saratov Regional Duma deputy Kurikhin and the publication of an operational report, which stated the involvement of his namesake in murders, extortion, racketeering and drug trafficking.

In total, the case against the journalist was considered four times.