The Ivanovsky District Court of the Amur Region sentenced activist Vladislav Nikitenko to three years in prison, who, after the start of the war in Ukraine, sent complaints against Vladimir Putin to the Investigative Committee and the prosecutor's office. The verdict is reported by the telegram channel SOTA with reference to the activist's lawyer.
Nikitenko was found guilty of repeated «discrediting» the army (part 1 of article 280.3 of the Criminal Code), as well as five episodes of insulting a judge (parts 1 and 2 of the article 297 of the Criminal Code). The prosecutor asked to appoint him three years and two months in prison.
The case under Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code became known in the spring. According to investigators, between April 1 and May 6, the activist posted 10 posts on social networks criticizing the war in Ukraine. On May 23, the court placed Nikitenko under house arrest, but in July the preventive measure was tightened and the man was placed in a pre-trial detention center.
“I annealed it to my liking!”. A litigator demanding Putin's arrest became the first defendant under a criminal article on «discrediting» the army
In March, Nikitenko was fined under an administrative article on «discrediting» the army (part 1 of article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). The protocol was drawn up because of a statement to the police demanding to initiate proceedings against the governor of the Amur region, who publicly supported the war in Ukraine.
After the start of the war, Nikitenko filed applications with all regional departments of the Investigative Committee and the prosecutor's office against Vladimir Putin and members of the Security Council, accusing them of starting a war in Ukraine.