"I'm scared. Very". A criminal case was opened against Marat Nikandrov, who became a “foreign agent” “for fun”

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Moscow Region opened a criminal case for evading the duties of a “foreign agent” (330.1 of the Criminal Code) against Marat Nikandrov, who was declared a “foreign agent” in 2023 at his own request.

Nikandrov told the publication Podem on February 16 that a criminal case was opened because he was repeatedly brought to administrative responsibility under Article 19.34 of the Administrative Code , “for a circle in a telegram channel” and for reports to the Ministry of Justice.

“I didn’t expect it to be so serious. And I'm scared. Very much,” said Nikandrov.

According to him, a criminal case was opened at the request of the prosecutor's office. The Investigative Committee has already brought charges against him.

Nikandrov faces up to two years in prison.

• The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation declared Marat Nikandrov a “foreign agent” in November 2023 after the young man (at that time he was 19 years old) submitted to the department a statement that he “intended to act as a foreign agent.” As Nikandrov himself explained, he submitted the application “for fun.”
• After this, administrative protocols were drawn up against Nikandrov for violating the procedure for the activities of a “foreign agent”, as well as for violating the procedure for picketing for a picket near the State Duma, writes Podem.