Sochi: Navalny's supporter responds with hunger strike to arrest

The court has sentenced Konstantin Gudimov, who pedalled his bicycle across Sochi with a balloon, to 12 days of arrest. In protest against police's actions and the court's judgement, the activist went on a hunger strike.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 13, Konstantin Gudimov, detained in Sochi with a balloon, was also accused of violating the procedure for holding a public action.

Today, Judge Sergey Kachur has found Gudimov guilty under Part 8, Article 20.2 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offence (known as CoAP) (holding a public event in the form of picketing without submitting a notification in the established order), and sentenced him to a 12-day arrest, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports from the courtroom.

Konstantin Gudimov has refused to plead guilty, and after the announcement of the judgement went on a hunger strike. "I am officially announcing, from now on, a hunger strike against the actions of the police and the court. I also demand to transfer the money allocated to my nutrition in custody to my pension card at the Savings Bank. I have a very small pension, and I am not going to present my food money to those who commit arbitrariness over me," Konstantin told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, adding that he would continue telling people about their rights and the need to fight corruption in bodies of power.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.