Rights defenders declare resident of Volgograd Region as political prisoner

The prosecution of Vasily Melnikov, a resident of the Kotelnikovsky District, on charges of spreading fake news about the Russian Army is unlawful and politically motivated. This was stated by the human rights project "Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial", demanding to release the arrested man.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Vasily Melnikov, 40, was detained under a criminal case of discrediting the Russian Army for posting his comments in social networks. Earlier, in 2017, he was sentenced to compulsory labour under the article on calls for violating the Russia's territorial integrity for his proposal to create the Kotelnikov Republic "with its own bank, currency and, most importantly, normal people's power."

The above independent human rights project treats Vasily Melnikov as a political prisoner. The article about spreading fakes about the Russian Army "contradicts both the Russian Constitution and the Russia's international obligations, as well as the basic principles of law," the project has stated."

"The basis for criminal prosecution are both legitimate opinions assessing the <military operation> and the circumstances surrounding it, as well as statements about confirmed facts," the project's website says.