"Coming out" Director's case on "foreign agents" closed completely
Yesterday the Vasileostrovsky district court of Saint-Petersburg overrode the judgement of the magistrate's court which had fined Anna Anisimova, the Director of the "Coming out" LGBT Organization, for maximum sum of 300 thousand rubles (9000 US$) for breaching the law on "foreign agents".
During the appellation hearing judge Roumyantsev noted the fact that the magistrate judge, while hearing the case, even had not established himself the fact of violation of the law and simply pasted and copied the prosecution's charges. Due to this circumstance the district court has found the judgement of the magistrate's court to be cancelled. Moreover, judge Roumyantsev pointed out that the limitation period for charging the head of the "Coming out" with the administrative liability had expired and on that ground he decided to cancel the case.
"We welcome the Vasileostrovsky district court judgement and glad that even today it is still not easy to subject a non-profit organization to harsh liability virtually without a trial. We are closely following the situation because the prosecutor's office still has the opportunity to appeal it. It is high likely and can be foreseen through the "Memorial" center case", comments Kseniya Kirichenko, the liaison officer of the "Legal assistance to "Coming out" organization" project.
For reference: On July 25, 2013 judge Kovin of the Vasileostrovsky district court cancelled the similar judgement of the magistrate's court charged against the "Coming out" organization. Then we informed you that the "Coming out" had managed with the support of the international LGBT organizations to raise necessary funds to pay out fines. The money could have been used for new human rights LGBT projects given that gay activists would win the case in court.
NB: another LGBT project "Side-by-side" is less lucky. On July 26, 2013, the higher court backed the decision of the lower court to fine the "Side-by-side" LGBT film festival for alleged breach of the law on "foreign agents" though the sum to pay out was lowered to 400 000 rubles (12,100 US$). Then gay activists declared about their determination to seek justice in Strasbourg.
English translation presented by Yerdna Bananes
"We welcome the Vasileostrovsky district court judgement and glad that even today it is still not easy to subject a non-profit organization to harsh liability virtually without a trial. We are closely following the situation because the prosecutor's office still has the opportunity to appeal it. It is high likely and can be foreseen through the "Memorial" center case", comments Kseniya Kirichenko, the liaison officer of the "Legal assistance to "Coming out" organization" project.
For reference: On July 25, 2013 judge Kovin of the Vasileostrovsky district court cancelled the similar judgement of the magistrate's court charged against the "Coming out" organization. Then we informed you that the "Coming out" had managed with the support of the international LGBT organizations to raise necessary funds to pay out fines. The money could have been used for new human rights LGBT projects given that gay activists would win the case in court.
NB: another LGBT project "Side-by-side" is less lucky. On July 26, 2013, the higher court backed the decision of the lower court to fine the "Side-by-side" LGBT film festival for alleged breach of the law on "foreign agents" though the sum to pay out was lowered to 400 000 rubles (12,100 US$). Then gay activists declared about their determination to seek justice in Strasbourg.
English translation presented by Yerdna Bananes
