Occupiers' courts in Crimea have tried "discrediting the RF army" cases 284 times – KrymSOS
The occupation courts in Crimea have tried cases for "discrediting the Russian army" at least 284 times.
This was reported by the NGO "KrymSOS".
"Since March 2022, administrative cases about 'discrediting of the Russian army' have been tried by the occupation courts in Crimea at least 284 times. 233 times these courts ruled to bring 224 people to administrative responsibility. Most often people are being convicted for social media posts that contradict the Kremlin's position," noted the organization's analyst Yevhenii Yaroshenko.
Most people were fined 30,000 rubles, which is approximately UAH 14,547.
KrymSOS reminded that the law amendments introducing administrative and criminal liability for "discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation" were adopted by the Russian Parliament on March 4, 2022.
Such laws allow prosecution of citizens for any inconvenient verbal remark, action, or spreading information that does not align with the Kremlin's official position.
According to the Crimean Human Rights Group, cases "for discrediting the Russian army" under Art. 20.3.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied Crimea are usually opened following a denunciation.
As IMI reported, in the fall of 2022, over 60 people in the occupied Crimea were prosecuted "for discrediting the Russian army."
In January 2023, the Crimean Human Rights Group reported that Russian-controlled Crimean courts fine people for the motto "Slava Ukraini" and performing Ukrainian songs most often. Namely, in September 2022, the Russia-controlled Bagçasaray district court brought the organizers and guests of a wedding to administrative responsibility for playing the song Chervona Kalyna, which the Russian court called a "Ukrainian nationalists' battle song."
On March 14, 2023, Russia amended the law, introducing prison terms up to 15 years for "discrediting" the Russian military personnel fighting in Ukraine.
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