22:49, 15 December 2023

Sochi resident Roman Kharitonov challenges fines imposed on him for posted video

Roman Kharitonov. Screenshot of the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iugxQ5k3zRg

The court in Sochi has considered three administrative cases against Roman Kharitonov formally and in his absence, Kharitonov has noted, demanding that the ruling be cancelled. Three fines totalling 100,000 roubles hit his family's small budget, he has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 5, the Tsentralny District Court of Sochi imposed two fines on Roman Kharitonov, a military pensioner, for posting a video criticizing Russian authorities.

On November 5, in Sochi, law enforcers detained Kharitonov, who had earlier been summoned to the police in connection with the posting of the above video criticizing authorities. Kharitonov explained his dissatisfaction with the authorities by the fact that his grandmother, a 92-year-old veteran of World War II, was deprived of her land plot. According to Kharitonov, law enforcers beat him up, trying to force him to sign some protocols.

Kharitonov also said that he appeared in court on December 6, where he was told that the hearings had already taken place without him. According to his story, since he was not notified of the court sessions and did not familiarize himself with the case materials, he was deprived of the opportunity to defend himself.

The former law enforcer has added that due to the fines amounting to 100,000 roubles, he will be forced "not to eat or drink anything for six months."

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 15, 2023 at 10:14 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Kristina Romanova

Source: СK correspondent