The Khabarovsk Regional Court reviewed the prosecution's appeal against the sentence of journalist Sergey Mingazov, who collaborated with Forbes, «Vedomosti», and «Kommersant» and maintained his own blogs on social networks. The court partially satisfied the prosecution's demand and increased the imposed fine.
In February, he was fined 700 thousand rubles in a case of spreading military «fakes» for three reposts of materials about Bucha. The prosecution considered the punishment too lenient and filed an appeal, insisting that the court of first instance unlawfully excluded the motive of «hatred and enmity» from the charges.
The appellate court satisfied the prosecutor's demands and sentenced Mingazov to a fine of 3.2 million rubles, and also banned him from administering websites, reported a correspondent of «Govorít NeMoskva»* from the courtroom. Taking into account the time spent in pre-trial detention and house arrest, the fine was reduced to 2.5 million rubles. The phone and laptop seized during the search were ordered to be confiscated by the court.
The debates lasted about half an hour. The lawyer referred to the Supreme Court's ruling, according to which the motive of «hatred» is indicated by calls for genocide and physical violence. Mingazov's reposts did not contain such calls.
* Recognized as a «foreign agent» in Russia.