A Soviet deputy was fined for calling not to interfere with the elections of Soviet deputies

For the call to consider as traitors to the Motherland those who will interfere with the elections of "citizens of the USSR", the former deputy of the Novokuibyshev City Council was fined under Art. 20.3.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

On May 27, 2021, the Novokuibyshevsk City Court fined 10 thousand rubles under Art. 20.3.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (incitement of hatred) by Yuri Slepnev.

The Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Samara Region found that on October 15, 2020, in the group "Novokuibyshevsk - citizens of the USSR, unite!" on VKontakte, an appeal was published by "People's Deputy of the USSR" Slepnev to "citizens of the USSR" (in video and text format), in which he announced the start of elections on August 18, 2019 to "councils of people's deputies". Among other things, the appeal contained an appeal to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the armed forces to facilitate the holding of the elections. Slepnev suggested that all persons holding public office, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel who would oppose the holding of elections be traitors to the Motherland, subject to trial under Art. 64 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, and perjurers.

A study conducted by a specialist from the Samara FSB showed that the appeal contained statements aimed at inciting hatred or enmity against employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian armed forces: "a threat against these groups, creating a negative image of groups characterizing groups as enemies ("traitors to the Motherland" , "perjurers") ". The specialist considered that the elections themselves, on the basis of the laws of the USSR, would be illegal, which means that countering them would be part of the official duties of employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and employees of the Armed Forces. At the same time, he noted that the statement on the application to Art. 64 of the Criminal Code, which provided for the death penalty, indicates that we are talking about the threat of violent acts.

Slepnev explained to the court that in 2019 he was approached by an initiative group who offered him to participate in the initiative to resume the activities of the USSR, and he agreed, since he himself was a member of the council of people's deputies in Novokuibyshevsk, "then the deputies really helped people, and he believes that a return to this system will correct the situation in the country ." He also stated that he sees wording in the document that led to a distortion of its meaning, and realizes " that you need to be more careful in your speeches and in the preparation of documents that he signs ."

Yuri Alekseevich Slepnev was indeed a Soviet deputy (in 1990-1993 he was a member of the Novokuibyshev City Council). His deputy past became one of the instruments of legitimization among the "citizens of the USSR" of the community known as the "All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the USSR of the city of Novokuibyshevsk."

From our point of view, Slepnev was wrongfully brought to justice. First, from our point of view, law enforcement officers should not be considered a vulnerable social group protected by Art. 20.3.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. Secondly, it should be borne in mind that representatives of law enforcement agencies, as the European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly   noted , must be extremely tolerant of criticism if it is not a real threat of violence. The threat of violence from the court, which can hypothetically be established by some kind of "restored" government of the USSR, is difficult to recognize as serious, especially since the Novokuibyshev "VTsIK" was not seen to be involved in violent actions.

Sources

• Case card No. 5-829/2021 // Website of the Novokuybyshevsky city court of the Samara region. 2021. June 30.