A court in Syktyvkar sentenced student Sergei Bashorin to a year of probation under the article on appeals for the performance of extremist activity because of 10 comments on vk.com. According to the investigators, Bashorin called for violence against the United Russia Party’s members, government employees, police officers, the Federal National Guard Troops Service’s members, employees of the prosecutor's office and children's services. Vladislav Kosnyrev, counsel to the student, told 7x7 about this.
On May 18, the Ezhva District Court sentenced student Sergei Bashorin to a year of probation for "public appeals for the performance of extremist activity" (Article 280 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The court decided that Bashorin called for violence against the United Russia Party’s members, government employees, police officers, the Federal National Guard Troops Service’s members, employees of the prosecutor's office and children's services in 10 comments on vk.com. He published them in 2019–2020.
According to lawyer Vladislav Kosnyrev, Bashorin exaggerated about punishment for the actions of the authorities he considered to be criminal. According to the student, he had "no illicit intent". He is sure that his comments did not encourage anyone to "extremism" because he is not a public person. The student reminded how the United Russia’s deputy Vladimir Sidorov from Ryazan had proposed shooting those who bought vaccination certificates, but had not been punished for that.
The case against Bashorin was opened in 2021. On May 24, security forces came to his house with arresting witnesses and investigators, filed a charge against him, and took him to the FSB for interrogation.
In February 2021, in Syktyvkar, a criminal case was opened against single mother Elena Rodvikova on appeals for extremism and terrorism due to her comments criticizing the authorities in social networks. The court found her guilty and fined her 350 thousand rubles. The Court of Appeal reduced the amount by 20 thousand. Concerned Russians collected money to pay the fine, otherwise the court would have sentenced Rodnikova to jail time, and the authorities would have taken her minor son to an orphanage.
