08:14, 14 September 2018

Orlov fined for picket in support of Titiev

Svetlana Gannushkina and Oleg Orlov hold picket in Manege Square in Moscow, July 9, 2018. Photo: press service of HRC 'Memorial'

The court has fined Oleg Orlov, the Chairman of the Board of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", by 10,000 roubles for an action in Moscow with a demand to release Oyub Titiev, the head of the Grozny office of the HRC "Memorial".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Oleg Orlov and another participant of the action, Svetlana Gannushkina, were detained on July 9 in Manege Square in Moscow. Orlov and Gannushkina explained that they had known about the threat of detention, but held the protest action aiming to draw attention to Titiev's case.

Oyub Titiev is under arrest since January 11 on charges of possessing marijuana. He insists that the drug had been planted on him by a law enforcer.

On September 13, the HRC "Memorial" informed on its website that the Tverskoi District Court of Moscow had decided to fine Oleg Orlov by 10,000 roubles, finding him guilty of violating the rules of holding an event.

Oleg Orlov said at the trial that he treats Presidential Decree No. 202 about the ban on pickets during the FIFA World Cup-2018 as contradicting the Russian Constitution. "Our peaceful picketing couldn't pose a threat to the interests of national security and public order, the health and morals of others ... <...> I didn't and don't see any reason for our detention," he has stated.

Let us remind you that the court session on a similar case of Svetlana Gannushkina will take place on October 1.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 13, 2018 at 09:05 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.