In Russia, the first figurant of the executive branch about “military fakes”
A court in Moscow has arrested a man against whom a criminal case has been opened for spreading “fake news” about the actions of the Russian armed forces. This is not the first case under the new article, which came into force shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, but the first time a person was sent to jail. Meanwhile, the State Duma has expanded the scope of the use of “fake” about the actions of Russia’s powers.
The Main Investigation Department of the TFR in Moscow opened a criminal case under paragraphs. “a”, “b” and “d” part 2 of Art. against Sergey Klokov. Presnensky court, according to the sensations of the investigator, to detain him for two more months by weight, on March 18. It became known about it only now. Quick about the arrest reported project “Network freedoms”.
The article under which Klokov is accused provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison; it is suspicious in force on March 4. Russian media emergency in Ukraine.
Klokov is a technician at the reserve control center of the Moscow Central Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, told RIA Novosti in court. Clause “a” presented to Klokov, part 2 of Art. 2 tbsp. 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation describes actions committed “with the use of one’s official position”, “b” – “by a group of persons or an organized group”, “d” – “based on treatment in relation to any social group”.
The court did not specify how an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs could use, according to the investigation, his official position. Other details of the case are also unknown.
Lawyer Daniil Berman appealed against the decision of the court. According to him, in Moscow it is “the first and only” under Art. 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
In terms of significance, it became known about the first three criminal cases initiated under the article on “military fakes”.
Other cases
On March 16, that is, two days before Klokov’s arrest, the Investigative Committee of Russia (TFR) reported that cases had been brought against the well-known blogger Veronika Belotserkovsky (Belonika) and two residents of the Tomsk region. Belotserkovsky has been put on the wanted list because she lives in France, and for the other two, a relatively mild measure of restraint has been chosen – a ban on decision-making.
Belotserkovsky published on Instagram (recognized as extremist and banned in Russia) posts in which, according to the ICR, “contained deliberately false information” about the collection of the Russian army “to destroy the cities and population of Ukraine, including children.”
Marina Novikova, a 63-year-old resident of the closed city of Seversk in the Tomsk region, ran a telegram channel. Consequence claimsthat she met information that “allegedly received from eyewitnesses from the scene.” A resident of Tomsk, whose last name is not called, “posted messages containing deliberately false information to be identified from eyewitnesses with the places of the events,” early in a press release from the ICR.
The day before, March 21, TFR announced initiation of proceedings against the well-known Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon under three articles, including under paragraph “a” of Part 2 of Art. 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on “military fakes”.
Human rights activist Pavel Chikov in his own telegram channel recalls two more cases – against Kemerovo journalist Andrei Novashov and the presence of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the annexed Crimea. So far, there have been no messages about the choice of preventive measures by him.
Novashov is a correspondent for the Sibir.Realii project (included in the register of media outlets acting as a foreign agent). “Network freedoms” on the eve claimedthat he invited the journalist to “apologize to the armed forces”, but he returned. According to the project, the ICR considered the composition of a new criminal article about fakes in the repost in VKontakte of the article by journalist Victoria Ivleva “Mariupol. Blockade”.
On Monday, the telegram channel Baza writes about the Crimean employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The publication claims that the detention of the rescuer was that the fact of the discovery “walked around the apartment” and said that “the United States had already captured missiles and planes” in the seizure of Crimea.
New definition
Meanwhile, the State Duma on Tuesday of the month in the second and third readings of the amendment to the same article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the cover for “fakes” about the work of Russian state bodies abroad. We are talking about embassies, the prosecutor’s office, the National Guard, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other departments.
As in the case of “military fakes”, there is a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison if it is an act using one’s official position, the definition of persons “related to the artificial creation of evidence” of the accusation or “for selfish motives”, as well as ” motivated by political, religious, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity.”
15 years in prison are provided if these acts caused serious consequences.
Amendments are also being made to article 280.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – punishment is provided for “public actions aimed at discrediting the executive body of state bodies of the Russian Federation with their powers outside the territory of the Russian Federation.”
As in the case of the military, for the same “public actions” in execution and punishment – in Art. 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. Protocols under this article have been drawn up for dozens of Russian citizens in recent weeks.
The amendments made to the reports provide for responsibility for the distribution of forest plantations.
“A minority is a minority”
The wave of anti-war actions in Russia noticeably subsided by the weekend. Repeated administrative violation threatens with a criminal case. Many opponents of the war left Russia. In this regard, President Vladimir Putin spoke of a “fifth column” and “self-purification of society.”
His press secretary Dmitry Peskov, also advising about “traitors”, softened the rhetoric on Tuesday.
“There are few of them, such citizens,” he said. To a clarifying question that the opinion of 25% of citizens, that is, the nearest millions of people, the Kremlin may not care, Peskov replied: “They hear the opinion. But still, a minority is a minority.”