Ruslan Sokolovsky
Ruslan Sokolovsky, born 1994, Sverdlovsk Oblast. Charges: Article 138.1, Russian Criminal Code (Illegal trafficking of special technical devices intended for covert information gathering); Article 148 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Public insult of religious feelings); Article 282 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Incitement of hatred or enmity); “Ruslan Sokolovskii's case”. Sentence (July 6, 2017): 2 years and 3 months of suspended sentence. Status: not in Russia. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, December 2, 2016; Amnesty International — recognised as a prisoner of conscience, September 7, 2016.
In brief
Sverdlovsk Oblast · Yekaterinburg · Bloggers · Extremism cases
Sentence
2 years 3 months
2 years and 3 months of suspended sentence
First instance, May 10, 2017: 3 years
Charges
- Article 138.1, Russian Criminal Code — Illegal trafficking of special technical devices intended for covert information gathering.
- Article 148 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Public insult of religious feelings
- Article 282 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Incitement of hatred or enmity
Full wording of the charges
published video clips which contained elements of insulting the feelings of believers and inciting religious hatred; illegally acquired a special technical device
Latest event
August 10, 2022 — persecution ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, December 2, 2016
- Recognised as a prisoner of conscience — Amnesty International, September 7, 2016
Timeline
· Persecution ends
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Appeal ruling
sentence changed · 2 years 3 months
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 3 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Sverdlovsk Oblast
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Recognised as a prisoner of conscience
Amnesty International
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Sverdlovsk Oblast
· Persecution begins
Ruslan Sokolovskii's case
Criminal case
Ruslan Sokolovskii's case
Details and sources
Full summary
In September 2016, it became known that Ruslan Sokolovskii, a popular Ekaterinburg blogger, was being charged with insulting the feelings of believers and inciting religious hatred. The charges were based on three videos in which he harshly criticized the Russian Orthodox Church: one showed him playing Pokémon Go in a church (which led to a probe in August 2016), another commented on the situation surrounding that incident, and the third responded to a local bishop’s remarks on marriage. On September 3, Sokolovskii was arrested by court order. He was also threatened with a case in connection with the discovery of a so-called "spy" pen in his possession. Sokolovskii reported receiving threats from a psychiatrist. On September 8, the court of second instance placed him under house arrest. On October 28, Sokolovskii was again placed in a pre-trial detention center. In January 2017, he was also charged with of illegal possession of special technical equipment after a search found a pen with a built-in video camera. On February 13, 2017, Sokolovskii was again placed under house arrest.
On May 11, 2017, Sokolovskii was given 3 and a half years of suspended sentence. On July 7, the appellate court reduced the suspended sentence to 2 years and 3 months, after the charges related to possessing a "spy pen" were dropped.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 138.1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.