Human rights defender Oleg Orlov fined for picketing in Moscow

A court fined human rights defender Oleg Orlov 15,000 roubles under the article on violating rules of picketing.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on April 10, the police detained Oleg Orlov in Red Square, when he went to a solo picket with a poster in his hands with a call to the people to learn the truth and not be silent.

On March 20, the police detained Oleg Orlov, a member of the board of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*, in front of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow while he was holding in his hands a poster criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin. On March 30, the court fined the activist 50,000 roubles, recognizing him guilty of discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation. Oleg Orlov did not agree with the interpretation of his actions. On March 6, in Moscow, the police also detained Oleg Orlov, who had come out with a poster to Manezhnaya Square. The activist was taken to a police department together with activists who were protesting against the actions of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

The Tverskoi Court of Moscow found Oleg Orlov guilty of violating the procedure for holding a picket and fined him 15,000 roubles, the HRC “Memorial”* reported on its Telegram channel.

It should be noted that on April 5, a court hearing was held in Moscow on a complaint against the decision to liquidate the HRC “Memorial”*. The judge did not grant the defence’s request to suspend the liquidation of the HRC “Memorial”* until the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) concerning the complaint against the law on foreign agents, and the decision remained in force.

* The organization is included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the register of NCOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.