25 October 2006

Alert

Editor of Internet publication fined over article about Putin


Incident details

Vladimir Rakhmankov

editor(s)

fined
(CJES/IFEX) - An Ivanovo magistrate has sentenced Vladimir Rakhmankov, editor-in-chief of the Internet publication Kursiv, to pay a fine of 20,000 rubles (approx. US$745) for publishing his article entitled "Putin as a Phallic Symbol of Russia" on the Kursiv website, Ekho Moskvy radio station has reported.

The criminal case against Rakhmankov was initiated by the Ivanovo region's prosecutor's office over the 18 May 2006 publication.

Ekho Moskvy radio also reported that the state prosecutor had asked the fine to be 40,000 rubles (approx. US$1490), but the judge decided to halve the amount. The aggravating circumstances in the case were that the journalist had not expressed any remorse, and the mitigating circumstances were the facts that he has an underage child and no prior criminal record.

Rakhmankov told CJES he does not believe he has committed a crime, as he believes only offensive language can count as offensive. He said he intends to appeal.



Source:

Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations
4 Zubovsky Bulvar
Moscow 119992
Russia
center (@) cjes.ru
Phone: +7 495 645 61 23 / +7 495 645 61 24
Fax: +7 495 637 76 26
 

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More on this case

Online newspaper editor's conviction, fine for "insult to authority" confirmed by regional court 17 January 2007 Journalist on trial for satirizing Putin 22 September 2006 Story satirizing Putin's birth goal prompts government retaliation 24 May 2006

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