Journalism is no defence: lawyers on the verdict Sokolov
MOSCOW, 10 AVG — RAPE. Press card, like any other, cannot be an excuse for avoiding responsibility for the committed crime, thus commented on the lawyers the verdict of the Metropolitan court in the case of the illegal referendum in respect of members of the Initiative group “For responsible power”, including an employee of RBC Alexander Sokolov.
On Thursday the Tverskoy district court of Moscow found Sokolov, as well as civil society activists Kirill Barabash, Valery Parfenov and writer Yuri Mukhin guilty of a crime under article 282.2 of the criminal code (organization of an extremist organization). Sokolov is appointed punishment in the form of 3,5 years of imprisonment, Barabash and Parfenov got 4 years. All the convicts will serve their sentence in a General regime colony. Mukhin is sentenced to 4 years imprisonment with probation for a period of 4 years. According to the verdict, Barabash also deprived of the military rank of Colonel.
Lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky expressed the view blur the concept of “extremism” and “extremist activity” in Russia. According to him, the sentence of the Tver court of Moscow a few cruel, as, in the opinion of counsel, the defendants have committed socially dangerous acts with real consequences.
But, as said Agranovsky, of course, neither a journalist, nor Deputy, nor judicial, nor a certificate of law cannot be an excuse for avoiding responsibility for the committed crime.
“All are equal before the law”, — said the lawyer.