Activist from Adygea expresses his indignation with a large fine

In Adygea, a court recognized as a fake a video about the Russian army, the link to which was posted in a messenger by Igor Korotkov. The activist was fined 800,000 roubles.

According to the investigators’ version, in March 2022, Igor Korotkov “posted knowingly false information on WhatsApp* about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation under the guise of reliable messages.” Messages in public chats may become a basis for accusations of fakes about the Russian army, but personal correspondence should not be a basis for such cases, lawyers emphasize.

Igor Korotkov is accused of posting a link to a video about the special military operation in Ukraine, notes advocate Irina Babakhanova. “He posted the video in a public WhatsApp* group created to organize a motor rally in support of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” Irina Babakhanova said.

According to the advocate, an appeal will be filed against the court’s decision.

“I do not agree that I am charged under the article ‘for disseminating knowingly false information.’ I did not know in advance that the information was false. And law enforcers psychologically pressured me to confess,” Igor Korotkov said.

According to the activist, he tried to participate in solving social problems in his native village of Krasnogvardeiskoye and also helped in highlighting the environmental problems of the region.

The man explained that he was engaged in agriculture, but his earnings were seasonal, so he would have financial difficulties in paying the fine. “I have no sources to get money from. I have already taken some loans, and they won’t give me a new one,” Igor Korotkov complained.

Environmentalist Valery Brinikh treats Igor Korotkov’s sentence as unfair, but he does not associate the criminal prosecution with the activist’s social activity. According to the environmentalist, the court follows the already established practice of mandatory conviction for fakes about the Russian army.

*On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow banned the activities in Russia of the Meta Company, owning Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in connection with extremist activities.