Alexey Sevastyanov was fined for attempting to address the gasoline situation in Volgograd.
The Volga court fined activist and lawyer Alexey Sevastyanov 10,000 rubles for participating in the recording of a video address to Alexander Bastrykin regarding the gasoline situation in the region.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on July 16, police detained five people at a gas station in Volgograd who were trying to record a video address to Alexander Bastrykin about the gasoline situation. The court arrested lawyer Alexey Sevastyanov the next day for five days, while activist Natalia Kuzmina was fined 20,000 rubles, and she intends to appeal this decision.
On July 25, Sevastyanov stated that the attempt to record the address led to an improvement in the fuel situation in the Volgograd region. Drivers interviewed by "Caucasian Knot" confirmed that there were almost no queues at gas stations.
Despite Alexey Sevastyanov's statement that he was just passing by the gathered crowd when police began the detentions, the court found him guilty of participating in an unauthorized rally, reports the publication "Volgograd Online".
According to the unified press service of the courts of the Volgograd region, based on the case materials, Alexey Sevastyanov participated in an unauthorized rally under the guise of recording a video address, but denied this.
"From the explanations given by him on the same day at the police station, it follows that Alexey Sevastyanov does not consider himself guilty. According to him, while passing by the aforementioned store, he saw a horse and a group of people unknown to him who were recording a video address. He then decided to approach and take a photo with the animal, which the citizens did not object to. At that moment, police officers approached them and began to explain that they were conducting an unauthorized event," the publication quotes the press service.
However, as stated in the case materials, on August 28, Alexey Sevastyanov reported that he had seen an invitation from Natalia Kuzmina to join the recording of the video address.
"In this regard, he decided to join what he believed to be a legal event. During the creation of their joint video address, police officers approached them and began to suppress their actions, citing that there was no permission from the administration for holding a rally. During the court proceedings, Alexey Sevastyanov did not admit his guilt in committing an administrative offense," the press service's message states.
The court noted the contradictory nature of Alexey Sevastyanov's testimony, considered it "a defense tactic aimed at evading administrative responsibility," and found him guilty of violating the established procedure for holding a public event, rally, demonstration, march, or picketing. He was fined 10,000 rubles.
Previously, a fine of 10,000 rubles was also imposed on Natalia Oglobina and Tatyana Smetanko, who also participated in the recording of the video address, the publication clarifies.