Activist Natalia Dorozhnova challenges her fine for repeatedly discrediting Russian Army

Natalia Dorozhnova, an activist from Volgograd, filed an appeal against the decision of the Central District Court, which imposed a fine on her for repeatedly discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The statistics confirm that the chances of the fine being cancelled are high, notes Maria Chaschilova, a lawyer at the human rights project “OVD-Info”*.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that the Central District Court of Volgograd fined Natalia Dorozhnova 30,000 roubles for a repeated anti-war statement that she voiced in the presence of journalists on January 9 immediately after a court hearing that fined her 15,000 roubles for discrediting the Russian Army.

Natalia Dorozhnova clarified that she paid the first fine of 10,000 roubles. The activist is being provided with legal assistance by lawyers and volunteers of the human rights project “OVD-Info”*.

Natalia Dorozhnova notes that she hopes for a fair hearing in the regional court. “I have not committed the offense charged to me. Free expression of opinions is guaranteed by the Russian Constitution,” the activist emphasized.

Lawyer Maria Chaschilova says that now, due to the lack of opportunity for Russian citizens to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), human rights defenders from the “OVD-Info”* do their best to accompany complainants at all stages of their defence.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.