Four years for four rallies. Russian activist Kotov’s case to be reviewed


The case of Russian activist Konstantin Kotov will be sent for reconsidering. The judicial decision was delivered by the 2nd court of cassation in Moscow, Mediazona reports.

For the duration of the review, Kotov will be held in custody.

In the course of the court session, the prosecution demanded that the prison term be reduced to one year; the defense lawyers insisted on the quashing of the sentence and the release of Kotov.

As the Presidential Human Rights Council believes that a number of violations took place when the sentence was imposed on Kotov, Russian Ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova suggested it should be reviewed.

In late January, the Constitutional Court ruled to re-sentence Kotov.

In mid July, Russians started protesting against the authorities’ refusal to register opposition and independent candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections. Then 34-year programmer Kotov got a 10-day prison term. Several administrative offense protocols were drawn upon him over alleged failure o comply with regulations of holding mass events, including for his calling people for taking to Trubnaya Square and supporting independent candidates. However, in September 2019, he was sentenced to four years of imprisonment under Article 212.1 (repeatedly participating in unauthorised rallies) of Russia’s Criminal Code.

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