The appeal of the prosecutor's office against the decision of the court of first instance was dismissed. October 12, 2020 The Khabarovsk Regional Court considered the appeal of the prosecutor's office on the decision of the Industrial District Court of Khabarovsk, which in August 2020 was returned to the prosecutor's office case of six Jehovah's Witnesses accused under Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code, and supported decision of the first instance.

As the epidemic situation worsens, religious organizations in different regions began to re-impose restrictions that had been lifted earlier. October 8 Federation of the Jewish communities of Russia announced the strengthening of security measures in synagogues and obliged community leaders to monitor compliance with the mask regime and maintaining distance.

Konstantin Maksimenko was brought to justice under Part 1 of Art. 20.3 for reposts with a swastika. October 3, 2020 Novo-Savinovsky District Court of Kazan fined local resident Konstantin Maksimenko for two thousand rubles under Part 1 of Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (public demonstration Nazi symbols).

In St. Petersburg, a court sentenced Ekaterina Zaborskikh, who had seized money from shareholders and transferred part of the funds to the Church of Scientology, to three years in prison. This is her third conviction for fraud. On October 9, 2020, the Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg convicted Ekaterina Zaborskikh, finding her guilty under Part 4 of Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud on an especially large scale).

In accordance with the amendments, fines of up to 15 million rubles can be imposed on site owners who have not removed prohibited content and hosters who have not blocked these sites. On October 13, 2020, the State Duma adopted in the first reading amendments to the Code on administrative offenses (CAO) on punishment of hosting providers and site owners for evading blocking and removing content.

The following is our review of the primary and most representative events in misuse of Russia's anti-extremist legislation in September 2020. Lawmaking In September, the State Duma adopted in the first reading a package of two bills on amending the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code with respect to punishment for separatism or incitement to separatism.

Evgeniy Akhmylov is accused under Part 3 of Art. 354.1 CC. On October 14, 2020, the Trans-Baikal Regional Court will begin to consider in a special manner the criminal case of Evgeny Akhmylov, a 32-year-old teacher at the Chita Polytechnic College. Akhmylov became accused under Part 3 of Art.

In Kurgan, the city court upheld the decision of the world court to hold an Orthodox parish accountable for "illegal" missionary work. On September 8, 2020, the Kurgan City Court left without changing the decision of the Magistrate's Court of Court District No. 48 of the Court District of Kurgan, which on July 29 decided to involve the Orthodox parish in honor of the Holy Trinity in Kurgan to administrative responsibility under Part 3 of Art. 5.

The defendant in the case was a 60-year-old resident of Nikolsk Yuri Kim. On October 11, 2020, Nikolsk, Penza Region, hosted searches in four apartments of Jehovah's Witnesses. In particular, technology, paper and documents were seized from a young married couple; they were interrogated and released. In addition, a search was conducted at the home of 60-year-old Yuri Kim. According to the believers, a criminal case under Part 1 of Art.

After the partial decriminalization of Art. 282 of the Criminal Code in the Code of Administrative Offenses, a new article appeared - 20.3.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (inciting hatred or enmity, as well as humiliation of human dignity). We collect the resolutions issued on it into a single list on a monthly basis.

At least eight searches were carried out in the homes of believers. On October 13, 2020, in Zeya, Amur Region, searches were carried out and equipment was seized at eight addresses of followers of the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is reported that two accused became defendants in the case under Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organizing the activities of an extremist organization or participating in one).