A Moscow court began this Tuesday, June 21 the trial of a municipal elected official accused of "
spreading false information
" after criticizing the offensive in Ukraine, serious charges that could send him 10 years in prison.
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The elected official, Alexei Gorinov, appeared at the hearing with a sheet on which was written "
No to war
", noted an AFP journalist on the spot.
Alexei Gorinov, 60, was arrested on April 26 by police in Moscow and remanded in custody.
His trial began on June 1, but was immediately adjourned.
Silence the critics
The elected official is being prosecuted for "
disseminating false information
" about the Russian army, an offense introduced at the beginning of March in order to silence critics of the offensive in Ukraine.
In this specific case, Alexeï Gorinov is accused of having acted “
in a group
” with another Muscovite municipal deputy, Elena Kotenotchkina, who left Russia.
He faces 10 years in prison.
According to the Mediazona news site, which specializes in monitoring legal cases, Alexei Gorinov denounced Moscow's "
aggression
" against Ukraine on March 15, during a filmed work meeting.
During this speech, he had questioned, given the context, the organization in his constituency of entertainment events, in particular a drawing competition for children.
"
Children are becoming orphans and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of participants in the Second World War are thrown into the hell of fighting in Ukraine
," he said.
"
I believe that all efforts of civil society must be used to end the war and lead to the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory
," he continued, according to Mediazona.
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The NGO Amnesty International called for his immediate release, denouncing "
a high-visibility trial
" aimed at sending a "
dissuasive message
".
Since February 24, dozens of people who publicly criticized the conflict have been prosecuted in Russia.
Most have been fined, but others face heavy prison sentences.