Sirius resident fined for protesting against SMO

A court in Adler has fined Sergey Libin, a resident of the town of Sirius (Krasnodar Territory) by 40,000 roubles, treating his pacifist inscription in a public place as discrediting the Russian Army.

According to the court, Sergey had painted a two-word pacifist slogan in the car park and "publicly expressed disagreement with the decision to conduct a special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine." Since this action was committed in a public place and the inscription was accessible to "an unspecified circle of persons," it should be regarded as public, the court has ruled.

"He doesn't support the actions of the Russian Armed F in the territory of Ukraine and considers the President of the Russian Federation to be a war criminal due to the conduct of the SMO," the court ruling states the defendant's position.

Sergey Libin has fully admitted his guilt. The judge has treated his confession as a mitigating circumstance, but imposed a fine on him, deciding that it would "serve the aim of preventing new offenses."