Opposition activist Sergei Mokhnatkin has been placed on a wanted list after failing to appear at his sentencing hearing in an assault case against him, a news report said Wednesday.
Mokhnatkin was found guilty on Wednesday of attacking two police officers during a protest rally on Dec. 31, 2013, and he was sentenced to 4 1/2 years behind bars for the crime, Interfax reported.
In issuing the sentence, the judge said Mokhnatkin's aggressive behavior throughout his trial had attested to his guilt, the report said. In late September, he'd been committed to the Serbsky psychiatric institute after a court ordered him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation as part of the proceedings against him.
No results on the evaluation were ever disclosed, and Mokhnatkin was released from custody in mid-October following an appeal by his lawyers to the European Court of Human Rights.
Mokhnatkin's indictment on Wednesday stems from an incident that occurred at a rally held monthly to defend the Constitution's Article 31, which provides for the right to free assembly.
Police said Mokhnatkin attacked two officers at the rally, though the activist himself claimed he'd been protecting a woman from police brutality.
Mokhnatkin had earlier served prison time for the same charges, however, after assaulting a police officer at a rally in 2009. After being sentenced to 2 1/2 years behind bars for that attack, he was released early, in April 2012, when then-President Dmitry Medvedev pardoned him.
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.
