3 February the trial was held of Stanislav Dmitrievski, which human rights activists identify as the obvious politically motivated case. The Soviet Court of Nijny Novgorod sentenced Dmitrievsky to the two-year suspended sentence and four years of “testing period” (with prohibition of changing place of residence and obligation to register oneself periodically in a police office). Stanislav Dmitrievski doesn’t agree with the ruling of the court and he is going to appeal against it. (07-FEB-06)
In spring 2004 the editor in chief of newspaper “Pravo-zashchita”, issued in 5000 copies, Stanislav Dmitrievski, published an appeal by the former Chechen leader A. Mashadov and his representative A. Zakaev to the Russian people and the European Parliament calling for a peaceful resolution of the Chechen conflict and severely criticizing President Putin, the Russian government, and the Russian armed forces. After one and a half year, 2 September 2005, Dmitrievski because of this publication was charged under Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Procedure Code of actions intended to stir up national and racial hatred. 16 November 2005 legal proceedings started .
Having no real evidence of inciting enmity Office of Public Prosecutor stuffed the criminal case with insignificant documents (as certificates, reports, extracts from the law, witnesses evidence which essentially prove nothing against Dmitrievski). The witnesses confirm that Dmitrievski worked as the editor in chief of the newspaper, that the newspaper appeared in 5000 copies, was published in a printing-office, was distributed free of charge and so on. All that evidence is undeniable, but it establishes no guilt of Dmitrievski.
2 February the representatives of Russian human rights organizations came to Nijniy Novgorod to support Stanislav Dmitrievski. But the judge ordered not to admit the human rights activists into the hall of the court. Then Stanislav Dmitrievski refused to go into premises of the demanding observation of the Criminal Procedure Code and stated that the court must be open and Russian citizens including his colleagues can be present in the court session. In half an hour time everyone was let in.
Russian human rights activists comment on the sentence on Stanislav Dmitrievski
“It’s evident that the case of Dmitrievski has become a part of attack-campaign against civil society in the Russian Federation. The sentence on Stanislav Dmitrievski is another step to elimination of freedom of speech in the country. The sentence is clearly politically motivated and has no relation to law”, stated human rights center “Memorial”.
Sergey Nikitin, resources center of Amnesty International: “We are disappointed at the verdict of “guilty”. The ruling of the court testifies to the obvious violation of the right to freedom of speech”.
Yuri Savenko, member of the Board of the Russian Research Center for Human Rights, said: “The problem is not only in the invasion on freedom of speech, but in persecution of fighters for peace in the Chechen Republic and of everyone who is promoting peaceful process. On the other hand, the fact that Dmitrievski was convicted for the two-year suspended sentence can be considered in some way as a victory, which has become real due to support of Russian and foreign journalists and independent mass-media”.
Yuri Jibladze, Center for Developing Democracy and Human Rights: “It’s a blow to the whole society, it’s an undisguised violation of the constitution, essential principles of law and international legal standarts. I’m afraid that now, in an atmosphere of extreme hostility of authorities towards civil society, the fact of accusing human rights activist of inciting ethnic strife and enmity will be used in every possible way in order to demonstrate to the society that human rights organizations carry out extremist activities. And that these are financed by foreign funds”.
Svetlana Gannushkina, Committee of Assistance to Refugees, draws attention to the fact that Dmitrievski, being convicted of extremist activities, according to the new law of NGOs, won’t be able to occupy his post (to be a member, employee, founder, member of a counsel etc. of public organizations).
Stanislav Dmitrievski believes that the ruling of the court is unjust and is going to appeal against it. “If necessary, I’ll take this case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg”, said Dmitrievski. A representative of Office of Public Prosecutor, on the contrary, thinks that the ruling of the court “is too mild”, but he doesn’t know yet, if the Office of Public Prosecutor will appeal on its part.
Photos are taken from web-sites: http://www.hro.org/ngo/about/2006/02/03.php, http://www.hro.org/court/2006/02/03-4.php
