Court fines Volgograd pensioner again for discrediting Russian Army

For the second time this year, Natalia Dorozhnova, a pensioner and a Volgograd activist, has been found guilty of discrediting the Russian Army. The court has obliged her to pay a fine of 30,000 roubles.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 9, Dorozhnova was fined by 15,000 roubles for her statements in an interview, which the court treated as discrediting the Russian Army. She recalled that the freedom of speech is enshrined in the Constitution. On January 18, law enforcers forces drew up a second protocol against Natalia on discrediting the Russian Army because of her statements made after the trial held on January 9.

Ms Dorozhnova has stated that she did not understand the essence of the charges, and what was her discrediting the Army. "What is the difference between the words 'discredit' and 'disagreement'? Discredit means causing harm to anyone. And disagreement – according to the Constitution, I have the right to express my opinion, and share it with others. That's what I did," Natalia Dorozhnova has stated.

She referred to the ruling of the Russian Constitutional Court, in which responsibility can only be imposed for a real threat, but there was nothing of the kind in her words.