In Astrakhan, an activist was fined for emoticons of the flag of Ukraine

Yaroslav Savin, an activist and member of the local branch of the PARNAS party, was arrested in Astrakhan for five days and fined 30,000 rubles. His wife Marina told “OVD-Info” about this project.

Earlier, the police drew up two reports against the activist – about “discrediting” the Russian army and about petty hooliganism. A fine was imposed under the first article, an arrest was made under the second. The decision was made by the Kirovsky district court.

On the afternoon of February 17, employees of the “E” Center came to the couple’s home. As “OVD-Info” writes, they turned off the light in the apartment, and after the politician’s wife went to the landing to see what happened, they blocked the passage and did not let her close the door. As a result, the activist was persuaded to go to the police station, where administrative reports were drawn up on him. Savin was left in the Department of Internal Affairs for the night before the trial.

As it follows from the message, the so-called discrediting of the army, the authorities considered the fact that in the name of Yaroslav Savin’s telegram channel, an emoji of the flag of Ukraine was placed next to his name. The hooliganism, for which the arrest was ordered, allegedly took place during the detention and delivery of Savin to the police station.

In the special detention center where Yaroslav Savin was placed during his arrest, the activist announced a hunger strike, Mediazona reports.

• The administrative article on the discrediting of the Russian army appeared shortly after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Discrediting in Russia is, for example, the use of the word war, and not “special military operation” in relation to the hostilities in Ukraine. According to “Mediazona”, by mid-December, more than 5,500 cases were filed on the article about discrediting.