An administrative case was opened against the former editor-in-chief of Ekho Peterburga for reposting Meduza

Valery Nechai, a journalist and former editor-in-chief of Ekho Peterburga, was charged with participating in an undesirable organization (Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). The reason for this was the repost of materials from the Meduza publication, which was recognized as an undesirable organization (also included in the register of foreign agents). This is the first administrative case for reposting publications of the publication, according to the human rights project “First Section”.

According to the First Department, Valery Nechay was summoned to the prosecutor’s office to hand over a copy of the decision to initiate an administrative case against him. As follows from the letter available to the project’s lawyers, the materials of the verification “on the fact of dissemination on the Internet of information materials of a foreign non-governmental organization whose activities are recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation, namely the Limited Liability Company (SIA) Medusa Project” were received by the prosecutor’s office of the Admiralteisky district of St. Petersburg from the city prosecutor’s office.

No other details of the case are given. The First Department notes that Valery Nechay personally did not receive a letter about initiating an administrative case. In a commentary to Meduza, Mr. Nechai stated that he did not know what kind of reposts were the reason for administrative prosecution.

He told Novaya Gazeta Europe that he learned about the initiation of the case from the founder of the First Department, lawyer Ivan Pavlov (recognized as a foreign agent). “I think that this is more interest not in me, but in Meduza,” Mr. Nechai said.

Prosecutor General’s Office acknowledged “Medusa” by an undesirable organization January 26 this year, February 7 Ministry of Justice introduced it to the appropriate register. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the activity of the publication “poses a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the Russian Federation.” Medusa Project was registered in Latvia in 2014.

Olesya Pavlenko