The head of the Irkutsk Falun Gong association was fined for collaborating with an undesirable organization

On January 12, 2024, the Kirovsky District Court of Irkutsk fined the leader of the local Falun Gong association, Nadezhda Lai, under Art. 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (participation in the activities of a foreign or international non-governmental organization in respect of which a decision has been made to recognize its activities as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation).

The reason for the prosecution was her participation in a picket in support of Falun Gong followers persecuted in China on October 29, 2023, during which Lai was photographed holding a poster that featured the names of the “Friends of Falun Gong” and “European Falun Gong Association” organizations recognized as undesirable in Russia. ”(the name of the latter was misspelled - “European Falun Gong Association”).

The investigation believes that a week before the protest, she agreed by phone with a witness in the case about the content of the posters. At the same time, Lai said that the posters were brought by the witnesses themselves and they asked her to take these posters in her hands and take a photo with them. The witness, on the contrary, claims that she herself asked them for the posters. Another witness corroborated Lai's testimony. The details of the telephone calls also did not confirm the fact of her communication with the witness on the eve of the picket.

Nevertheless, the court found Lai guilty and fined her 12 thousand rubles.

Sources

• Case Card No. 5-3/2024 (5-256/2023;) // Website of the Kirov District Court of Irkutsk. 2024.
• The leader of Falun Gong in Irkutsk was fined under the article on “undesirable” organization // OVD-Info. 2024. January 12.