A Russian woman has made headlines after being found guilty of a truly fishy crime.
Yulia Kostyukova, 31, a resident of the Siberian town of Barabinsk, “deliberately” hit a police officer “many times” with a package of smoked fish when asked to leave the railway platform where she’d been illegally selling the fish to hungry train passengers, regional investigators said.
The Babarinsky district court in February found Kostyukova guilty of using violence against a police officer, handing her a one-year suspended sentence with a 10-month probation period.
The verdict entered into force Tuesday.
Kostyukova pleaded not guilty and claimed that the officer had sworn at her before knocking her to the pavement. She said she retaliated by hitting the officer with her hat.
Vendors commonly sell smoked smoked bream, carp and asp at the Babarinsk railway station, reports say, and often enter into conflict with police officers.
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.