- Yevgueni Roizman is accused of a crime that is punishable by up to five years in prison.
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| The former mayor of Yekaterinburg, Yevgueni Roizman. |
Russia arrests an opposition politician accused of discrediting the Army
The opposition politician and former mayor of Yekaterinburg Yevgueni Roizman were arrested this Wednesday in that same Russian city accused of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, a crime that is punishable by up to five years in prison, police sources reported.
Roizman, who gained popularity in the country when he created a foundation to fight drug addiction in 1999, has repeatedly spoken out against the "special military operation" that Russia launched in Ukraine six months ago.
"The war with Ukraine is terrible, stupid, useless, it is the most infamous, shameful, and unjust war in the history of Russia," the 59-year-old politician said at the time. Later he declared that "not even in the final judgment" would he repent of these words, for which he was fined by the Russian Justice.
The case against Roizman was filed under article 280.3 of the Russian penal code, which sanctions "public actions in order to discredit the use of the Armed Forces." "The reason for the opening of the case was a video on his YouTube channel," said a police source quoted by the official Russian agency TASS.
The crime charged to the opponent is punishable by fines or up to three years in prison, which can be up to five if such public actions lead to mass disorder or other serious consequences.
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