Kalmyk activist repeatedly fined for discrediting army

The court has fined Arslang Sandjiev, the chairman of the congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk people, by 35,000 roubles, finding the pacifist appeal of the congress to be discrediting for Russian militaries. Mr Sandjiev, earlier fined for a similar post, has decided to appeal against the court's ruling.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 25, Arslang Sandjiev, the chairman of the above congress, was fined by 30,000 roubles. Then, the Elista City Court found his call to stop the special operation in Ukraine, posted in social networks on March 7, as discrediting the armed forces.

Now, the Elista City Court has imposed a fine of 35,000 roubles on Arslang Sandjiev for calling on the residents of Kalmykia not to participate in the special operation in Ukraine, published on March 10. The Sandjiev's offence consisted of "drawing up, signing and subsequent spreading" the appeal, and it "was aimed at discrediting the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation in the special military operation ... as they diminish the authority of the armed forces," says the court's ruling of March 29, a copy of which is at the disposal of the "Caucasian Knot".

On March 30, Arslang Sandjiev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the court's ruling will be challenged at the Supreme Court (SC) of Kalmykia.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 30, 2022 at 06:45 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.