Prominent Russian blogger Anton Nosik is to be charged with "inciting hatred" for an online post "warmly welcoming" Russian air strikes in Syria, the RBC news website reported Wednesday.
The Investigative Committee will bring official charges against the blogger on April 26, Nosik's lawyer Sergei Badamshin told RBC.
A criminal case was opened into Nosik in November 2015 after a publication on blog service LiveJournal titled, "To raze Syria to the ground."
In the post, released the day after Russia started military operations in the country, Nosik compared Syria to Nazi Germany.
He also said that for him and "any other Israeli" Syria was and remains the "real military enemy," RBC reported.
Nosik told RBC he will not remove the post from the website as he does not consider his statements extremist.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.