Court fines Volgograd activist for her pacifist statements

Natalia Dorozhnova, an activist, has been fined for her statements in an interview that the court treated as discrediting the Russian Army. She refused to admit her guilt, reminding that the freedom of speech is enshrined in the Russian Constitution.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Tsentralny District Court of Volgograd began considering the administrative case initiated against Natalia Dorozhnova, who, after an action in defence of the Constitution, is accused of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and violations in organizing a public action.

"It turns out that there is no freedom of speech in the country. A citizen cannot express his/her opinion here. I just expressed my opinion," Ms Dorozhnova has stated in court.

The judge objected that a citizen's rights and freedoms can be restricted by a federal law.

It also turned out that Dorozhnova is in a difficult life situation. She has a low pension, and recently she underwent a complex surgery. The woman has already been fined in 2021 for holding an unsanctioned action.

In this regard, the judge has imposed a punishment that was half of the minimum – a fine of 15,000 roubles.

Sergey Ivaschenko, a lawyer, has noted that Article 55 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation on the person's and citizen's freedoms and rights "was recently amended" to allow restrictions on human rights and freedoms under certain conditions.

"We see that such restrictions were introduced during the period of the special military operation (SMO). And people still believe in the inviolability of constitutional principles," Mr Ivaschenko has added.