The editor-in-chief of the “New Focus” was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for fakes about the army

Mikhail Afanasiev, editor-in-chief of the online publication Novy Focus sentenced Abakan State Court of Khakassia to 5.5 years in prison under the article on fakes about the RF Armed Forces. It is alleged that he posted false information about the employees of the National Guard who died during the military operation.

The verdict was passed under article n. “a” part 2 of Art. 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public distribution under the guise of reliable false information about the actions of the RF Armed Forces). “subject to mitigating circumstances”. Under the article about fakes about the army “using his official position”, he was threatened with up to 10 years in prison. He was also deprived of the right to engage in journalistic, editorial or publishing activities for two years and six months.

The basis for the case was the material about the refusal of 11 Khakass riot police to fight in Ukraine. During the debate, Mikhail Afanasiev said that “the only motive for the publication was to draw attention to long-standing problems within the Khakass riot police.” The editor-in-chief of Novy Focus was arrested nine days after the publication of this material, on April 13, 2022.

The court considered unreliable published information about the dead and wounded employees of the National Guard, their wages and improper performance of official duties by the leadership of the department. Mikhail Afanasiev pleaded not guilty and stated that he relied on trusted sources in preparing the material.

Anastasia Larina