The Rostov Regional Court sentenced 40-year-old opera singer Vadim Cheldiev to 10 years in a strict regime colony in the case of a rally against the «self-isolation regime» in Vladikavkaz. This is reported by RIA Novosti.
The prosecutor's office asked the musician for 11 years in a strict regime colony. He was found guilty of spreading “fakes” about life-threatening circumstances (Article 207.1 of the Criminal Code), violating the country’s territorial integrity (Article 280.2 of the Criminal Code), using violence against a security official (Part 1 of Article 318 of the Criminal Code) and inciting mass riots (Part 3 of Article 33; Article 212 of the Criminal Code).
< span class="mz-publish-context-cite__text_meta">ArticleSvoboda Square. The people's gathering against the «self-isolation regime» in Vladikavkaz ended in a big criminal case
There are two more defendants in the case — 56-year-old «citizen of the USSR» Ramis Chirkinov and 31-year-old worker of «Post Bank» Arsen Besolov. They were sentenced to eight and eight and a half years in a strict regime colony on charges of organizing riots (Part 1 of Article 212 of the Criminal Code).
In the spring of 2020, Cheldiev, living in St. self-isolation” in Vladikavkaz, scheduled for April 20. Before the action, the singer was charged with «fake news» because of a post about the coronavirus, he was detained and taken to Vladikavkaz. In addition, the security forces claim that on the way from the Mineralnye Vody airport, Cheldiev attacked a policeman.
After the rally, which ended in clashes between demonstrators and security forces and mass arrests, two more criminal cases were opened against Cheldiev. Since the arrest, the singer has been in jail.
Updated at 11:21 am. Added information about the terms for Chirkinov and Besolov.