Kabardino-Balkaria: Dutch journalist accused of breaking migration rules acquitted

The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria has acquitted Michel Krilaans, a journalist from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, chief-editor of the Moscow bureau of the NRZ newspaper, who was earlier accused of breaching the migration accounting regulations and sentenced to a fine of 2000 roubles and extradition out of Russia.

Mr Krilaans was detained in Nalchik on August 19 this year and brought to the Department of the Migration Service (DFMS) of the Russian Federation for Kabardino-Balkaria, where some correction was revealed in his migration card. By decision of the Nalchik City Court, he was found guilty of breaking the rules of migration accounting, fined by 2000 roubles and awarded deportation out of Russia.

Michel Krilaans addressed his cassation complaint to the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria, asking to lift his administrative penalty, as he did not admit his guilt. He also asked the Court to consider his case in absentia, as he believed that his trip to Kabardino-Balkaria could be unsafe for him.

Magomed Abubakarov, Mr Krilaans' advocate, has submitted a certificate to the Court, evidencing that the correction in the journalist's migration card was made by the DFMS of Moscow, and a number of other documents, confirming that Michel Krilaans was in the territory of Russia on legal grounds.