Sergei Salnikov, an eco-activist from Krasnodar, has been found guilty of violating public order and fined 15,000 rubles ($166). Prior to the trial, he threatened with a march to Moscow in protest against the construction of a landfill in the town of Poltavskaya. The court decision was reported by the Telegram channel "Poltavskaya against the landfill" on July 27.
Sergei Salnikov was found guilty by the court of violating public order, as he called on residents of Poltavskaya to participate in a mass gathering. He was fined 15,000 rubles.
The administrative protocol against Salnikov was based on his comment in the channel "Poltavskaya against the landfill." In this comment, he encouraged fellow towners to public protests. He claimed that the regional authorities wanted to "bury" local residents in garbage.
Sergei Salnikov was detained by the police on July 26 while escorting his father home after chemotherapy. Some opponents of the landfill suspect that the reason for his detention and the protocol was a video message addressed to Alexander Lukashenko. In the video, eco-activists asked the Belarusian president to pass their concerns to Vladimir Putin while Salnikov said that he was ready for a "march of justice" to Moscow.
Public demands against the landfill have been going on for over a year. People complain that the landfill pollutes their water and rice fields. In the spring, activists blocked the road to the landfill on three occasions. One of the actions was dispersed by the police; as a result, some protesters needed medical assistance.
