The prosecution demanded two years of conditional sentence. However, the judge faced an extraordinary situation when the defendants agreed with the charge and demanded a maximum term of imprisonment.
After reading the verdict, which lasted for an hour and a half, the women were released.
Nizovkina and Stetsura expressed disapproval of the judgment. They view it as humiliating and discreditable. Nadezhda Nizovkina explained they did not have such a sum and even if their property was distrained (the most costly thing they have is a notebook), this will not cover the fine. But they are not going to pay anything, since it will mean consent with the court verdict.
‘If some international human rights organization expresses intention to pay the fine for us, we will reject the money’, Nadezhda Nizovkina claimed.
They are going to file a cassational complaint and to obtain acquittance. Not because they want to be acquittaned, but because the case and the procedure, on their opinion, were held with numerous violations.
HRHN actions:
Participants and partner organisations of the HRHN project "Electronic Human Rights Education for Lawyers" issued two letters of concern regarding the criminal prosecution of the Russian lawyers.
Concern with detention and prosecution of Ms Nizovkina and Ms Stetsura, 17 January 2011
Regarding criminal prosecution of Nadezhda Nizovkina and Tatiana Stetsura, 8 October 2010
About the case:
The investigation accused Nizovkina and Stetsura of inciting hatred against Federal Security Service (FSB), the Ministry of the Interior, Russian Federal Penal Service (FSIN) and the Russian Army (based on Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian federation). The cause for initiating the criminal case was two articles co-written by Nizovkina and Stetsura. The first article addressed the deportation of Bakhtiar Umarov, Imam of the Muslim Buryatia community to Uzbekistan. The second was about journalist Elena Maglevannaya and a leaflet commemorating the Stalin deportations of people, timed to coincide with the Defender of the Fatherland Day.
Related articles:
Russian lawyers arrested ahead of freedom of expression campaign
