Activist from Sochi fined for insulting Russian president

In Sochi, a court fined activist Anna Kolmagortseva 40,000 roubles under the article on petty hooliganism for posting a video allegedly insulting the Russian president. The court’s decision will be challenged, since the video was filmed and posted by another user, the activist states.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on November 5, in Sochi, law enforcers detained Roman Kharitonov, who had earlier been summoned to the police in connection with the publication of a video criticizing the authorities, after which Roman Kharitonov complained being beaten by law enforcers. According to the man’s story, the attention of the police was attracted by his video posted on Anna Kolmagortseva’s Telegram channel.

Anna Kolmagortseva reported that on November 2, she was taken to the police station and a protocol was drawn up against her under the administrative article on petty hooliganism. “In that case, they persecuted me for posting prohibited content on April 26 on my open Telegram channel, where anyone may leave posts. Later, I discovered that it was not even me who posted the video,” reported the activist on her YouTube channel.

The video that became the reason for the persecution was posted on Roman Kharitonov’s YouTube channel. In the video, the man sharply criticizes government officials and expresses his fears for the fate of Russia.

Anna Kolmagortseva states that when the video appeared in her Telegram chat, she did not even view it. The activist believes she is being persecuted by “someone’s order.”

Earlier, in December 2022, in Sochi, a court obliged Anna Kolmagortseva to remove the publication that became the reason for a lawsuit by MP Viktor Teplyakov and to post a refutation.