13:20, 18 January 2018

Sochi court stops case about Christ's caricatures

Victor Nochevnov. Photo by Svetlana Kravchenko for the Caucasian Knot.

Today, a Magistrate Court in Sochi has stopped the case opened against Victor Nochevnov, accused of insulting believers' feelings, said Alexander Popkov, an advocate.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 2, 2017, a Sochi Magistrate Judge fined Victor Nochevnov, accused of reposting caricatures with Christ in the "VKontakte" social network, by 50,000 roubles, finding him guilty of insulting believers' feelings. However, on October 27, the Tsentralny District Court of Sochi cancelled the ruling and sent the case for reconsideration.

Victor Nochevnov rejected his guilt, saying that he had no idea to offend someone. Besides, his defence stated that the time limit on the case expired back in August 2016.

The case was stopped for this very reason, Alexander Popkov, the lawyer of the "Agora" international human rights group, has stated.

"Today, Irina Shulepina, a magistrate judge of the judicial section No. 102 of the Tsentralny District of Sochi, has stopped my client's criminal case because of expiration of time limit," said Alexander Popkov as quoted by the "Interfax".

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