Vitaly Merzlyakov

The reason for the case was that Merzlyakov submitted an application to the Central Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Krasnodar Krai, to which he attached four sheets with "images of symbols similar to Nazi symbols to the extent of confusion" sewn to them, while he "understood that these 4 sheets with images would be publicly displayed to a potentially unlimited number of persons from among the employees of the Central Department of Internal Affairs, who by virtue of their official duties would register and review the application with all attachments". Presumably, on 8 July 2023, he was brought to administrative responsibility under the article on displaying Nazi symbols (Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code) because he sent a notice to the Ministry of Justice with a seal which allegedly resembled a swastika.