Mr. Alexander Chebykin, the head of Novozybkov in the Bryansk region, was punished for a canceled rally. According to the prosecutor, it was the municipal authorities who hindered the planned action.
Mr. Alexander Chebykin, the head of Novozybkov in the Bryansk region, was punished for a canceled rally. According to the prosecutor, it was the municipal authorities who hindered the planned action.
According to the law enforcement agency,
the citizens had contacted the administration with anticipation to inform them about the meeting in the city's central square, organized to draw attention to the problems in the region's south-western districts. However, the Mayor refused to approve the event, saying that communal services had allegedly planned cleaning works in the area for the same time. For some reason no one offered organizers to change the location and time of the meeting.
The Mayor was charged with an administrative case, he was prosecuted and fined 30,000 rubles.
Commentary from Alexey Kozlov, the expert of the project:
The situation is indeed unique. Compared to dozens and even hundreds of cases won against municipal administrations
in connection with public events that had been banned, illegally transferred to different dates and places, etc., there are only few examples of civil servants being punished for having made the illegal decision.
In most cases, unfortunately, activists who obtain the cancellation of an illegal ban do not try to punish the official who had imposed that ban. Prosecution officers could, of course, handle such cases but they don't. In those rare cases where there is an appeal against the banning of a rally, prosecution officers refuse to initiate proper administrative action. In 99 % of cases it is not possible for community members to appeal against such bans.