An engineer from Skoltech was fined 500,000 rubles for transferring 300 rubles to the FBK

Judge Kozlova at the Savyolovsky District Court of Moscow sentenced the engineer from Skoltech to a fine of 500,000 rubles and ordered the confiscation of the 300-ruble donation in favor of the state.

The prosecutor asked for a 3.5-year penal colony sentence for him and cited “help for the special military operation” as a mitigating circumstance.

The case was prompted by a transfer made on August 5, 2021. During questioning, the man said he did not remember making the donation, did not follow the FBK, and did not know about the organization’s “extremist” status.

He also stated that he was not a supporter of Alexei Navalny or the FBK and did not share their ideas and ideology. During questioning by the investigator, the Moscow resident admitted that he might have sent money to the fund because he “found their content interesting”, but in court he called this a guess, since he did not remember the moment of the transfer or his motives.

In closing arguments, the defense lawyer insisted that the motive of political hatred and prior knowledge had not been proven in the actions of the defendant, and asked for a “lawful and well-founded” verdict. Before the verdict, the engineer worked at Skoltech, was studying in graduate school, and was writing a dissertation, while he was supporting a child born in 2020 and elderly parents.

Sources

• Mediazona