The Tomsk violist was fined 100,000 rubles for posts on social networks

In Tomsk, musician Anna Chagyna was fined 100,000 rubles in a criminal case for repeated “discrediting” of the army. Chagina published in her social networks the posts of the Tomsk philosopher Mykola Karpytskyi, who lives in the territory of the Ukrainian city of Slavyansk.

In addition to the fine, Anna Chagyna was banned from publishing on the Internet for two years. The state prosecution requested a fine of 200,000 rubles for the viola player.

“The war causes irreparable damage to our countries. I believe that no one can win this war. Only love can win, which never stops, it always remains – even now, when soldiers shoot at each other, when people die. That’s all it still remains. We have the opportunity to end this standoff as quickly as possible,” Chaghina said in her last word. She pleaded not guilty and asked the court to issue an acquittal.

In March 2022, Chagina went to an anti-war rally in Tomsk. The city’s Soviet district court fined her 45,000 rubles, Sibir.Realii notes. In November, Anna Chagina was searched in connection with the case of repeated “discrediting” of the Russian army. During the investigation, the court banned her from certain activities: using the Internet and going out at night.

On Monday, the Sibir.Realii project also reported that a resident of Gorno-Altaisk, Ai-Tana Tugudina, was sentenced to 8 months of hard labor for comments in Telegram published in October 2022. She was found guilty of repeatedly “discrediting” the Russian army (Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code). She left comments under the article “Security forces exposed a resident of Gorny Altai who wanted to help the special services of Ukraine.” In a conversation with journalists, the convicted woman noted that the court handed down the punishment requested by the prosecution. Tugudyna intends to appeal the decision.

• On March 4, 2022, shortly after the start of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law on so-called fakes and discrediting the Russian army. According to the amendments to the administrative code, for public actions aimed at “discrediting the use of armed forces” citizens are subject to a fine of 30 to 50 thousand rubles. Russians face a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 rubles for calling for rallies. The amendments also imply criminal responsibility.