The Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus. Photo: press service of EcoWatch, http://ewnc.org/ewnc_about

13 April 2019, 08:26

Court in Adygea fines "EcoWatch"

The "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus" (EcoWatch) is the first organization fined for involvement in the activities of the "Open Russia" (recognized as an undesirable organization in Russia by the General Prosecutor's Office). The City Court of Maikop, the capital of Adygea, considered the case, although activists could not come to the session, the lawyer of the "EcoWatch" has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 9, searches were conducted in the office of the EcoWatch; computers and office equipment were seized. The activist Viktor Chirikov has linked the law enforcers' actions with the cooperation of the EcoWatch with Yana Antonova, the coordinator of "The Open Russia"* in the Krasnodar Territory; Yana's home was also searched on the same day.

The "EcoWatch" has been fined by 80,000 roubles under the administrative article on the activities of an "undesirable organization", the court has informed, finding a violation of the law in that eco-activists placed their texts in the blogs on the website of the "Open Russia"*, and placed materials with the logo thereof in their own resources, the Federal News Agency reported in its website on April 12.

Maxim Olenichev, the advocate of the "EcoWatch", has noted that activists were not present at the court session, because on that very day searches were conducted in the "EcoWatch" office. "The court considered the case in the absence of the organization, despite the fact that Andrei Rudomakha, the coordinator of the 'EcoWatch', called the court and informed about these extraordinary circumstances. Also, the investigator, who conducted the search, also called the court and informed the judge; however, the latter decided that it wasn't a valid reason," the "MBKh Media" has quoted Mr Olenichev as saying today.

* The General Prosecutor's Office of Russia recognized activities of two organizations registered in the UK and containing the words "Open Russia" in their names as undesirable in the Russian Federation.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 12, 2019 at 09:04 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

All news
НАСТОЯЩИЙ МАТЕРИАЛ (ИНФОРМАЦИЯ) ПРОИЗВЕДЕН И РАСПРОСТРАНЕН ИНОСТРАННЫМ АГЕНТОМ ООО “МЕМО”, ЛИБО КАСАЕТСЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ИНОСТРАННОГО АГЕНТА ООО “МЕМО”.

March 27, 2024 16:51

March 27, 2024 14:49

March 26, 2024 23:13

  • Analysts dispute on risks of IS'* intensifying in Northern Caucasus

    After the terror act at the Crocus City Hall, in Northern Caucasus, there is a risk of intensification of militants of the IS*, although no terror acts on civilians have not been observed there since 2018. This was noted by Sergey Goncharov, a veteran of special services, and Andrei Koshkin, a military expert.

March 26, 2024 20:26

March 26, 2024 19:40

News archive