The SOVA Center has updated a report on the persecution of citizens due to disrespect for authorities on the Internet

The SOVA Information and Analytical Center has updated a report on the persecution of citizens due to disrespect for authorities on the Internet in 2021-2022.

We talk about previously unknown cases.

- On May 18, the Smolensk Regional Court approved the decision of the Promyshlenny District Court, which on April 15, 2022 fined Alexander Matveev 50,000 rubles under the article on disrespect for the authorities (part 3 of article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses) due to a comment on a photo of Vladimir Putin in VKontakte ".

— On April 14, the Industrial District Court of Smolensk fined Dmitry Gusev 40,000 rubles under part 3 of article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, who posted a comment on VKontakte under a post about fines for anti-vaxxers. According to the police and the court, the man showed "clear disrespect for society, the state and the bodies exercising state power in the Russian Federation."

- On March 10, the Central District Court of Kemerovo fined Yevgeny Maryenkov 30,000 rubles under an article on disrespect for the authorities, who sold badges on the Internet with negative characteristics of the President of Russia and the war on the territory of Ukraine.

- On February 25, in the village of Kamenka, Rostov Region, the police drew up a protocol against Alexei Safonov, the chief engineer of the Svetly Ice Arena. He was charged with an article on disrespect for the authorities. On the same day, the man was fired from his job. The reason was the publication in Instagram on February 24. Safonov wrote that the consequences of bringing troops into Ukraine would be catastrophic for the Russians, and wished the Ukrainians fortitude.

— On December 20, 2021, the Leninsky District Court of Saransk fined local resident Dmitry Igoshchin 30 thousand rubles under part 3 of Article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses due to the fact that on September 29 the man disseminated on the Internet “information expressed in an indecent form that offends the human dignity of the President of the Russian Federation of Putin V.V. as the Head of the Russian Federation.

— On December 8, 2021, the Vologda Regional Court fined local resident Roman Polyansky 15,000 rubles under an article on disrespect for authorities because of a comment about the president.

- On November 8, 2021, the Balakovo District Court of the Saratov Region fined Yulia Strelnikova 50,000 rubles because of stories with obscene language on Instagram. In the video, the woman stated that she was driving a car without a license. She was charged with an article on disrespect for the authorities.

— On December 21, 2020, the Primorsky Regional Court overturned the decision of the Artemovsky City Court, which fined Igor Fomchenko 30,000 rubles under an article on contempt of authority. The reason for the cancellation of the punishment was the lack of decisions on several petitioners.

The court dismissed the case due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for prosecution.

On his Instagram account, the man posted the text: ““Sex” on the phone with the head of the traffic police department will take place on August 13, 2020.” The post concerned a conversation between Artyomovsk deputy Semyon Sesekin and the head of the local traffic police, Vladimir Aleksandrov, about road markings and ways to get through intersections.