Translated material
Ex-coordinator of Navalny's Arkhangelsk headquarters was arrested for eight days for a humorous video with Nazis
In Arkhangelsk he was arrested under Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, activist Andrey Borovikov, who in 2014 kept a parody of the intro of the TV series Friends on VKontakte.
On January 31, 2021, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Arkhangelsk arrested him for eight days under Part 1 of Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (public demonstration of Nazi symbols) Andrei Borovikov, former coordinator of Alexei Navalny's headquarters in Arkhangelsk.
The reason was the fact that in 2014 he added to his page in "VKontakte" a video parodying the intro of the series "Friends", which used a newsreel with the leaders of Nazi Germany (this video called "REICH FRIENDS" is still available on YouTube ). In one of the shots, a bandage with a swastika is visible on the sleeve of Adolf Hitler.
In addition, it was noted in the case that on April 27, 2013, a certain Vitaly Mishchenko published on Borovikov’s page a picture with a swastika with the inscription “The object is guarded by Nazis” (paragraph 3076 of the Federal List of Extremist Materials).
Borovikov petitioned for a cultural examination of the video, but the court refused him.
From our point of view, only cases of using Nazi symbols for the purpose of promoting Nazism deserve persecution. It is not clear in what context Borovikov posted the parody video in 2014, or if it was accompanied by any comments. Neither the content of Borovikov's pages on social networks, nor his public activities in recent years indicate that he sympathizes with Nazism, so we are not sure of the justification for bringing him to justice. As for the picture with the swastika, which was published by another person on his page, then, as we believe, if it is impossible to hold the publisher liable, then it was enough for Borovikov to demand to remove this post.
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