RUSSIAN INFORMER WHO HAD PEOPLE JAILED FOR CRITICISING UKRAINE WAR IS CHARGED WITH SAME CRIME
A Russian activist who has boasted about denouncing Kremlin critics to the authorities has himself been charged with discrediting the Russian armed forces.
A notice posted to Moscow’s court website showed Timur Bulatov, an outspoken supporter of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, was charged under a censorship law that has been used to punish critics of the war.
He told the Ostorozhno Novosti Telegram channel that he did not understand the origin of the charge, which could incur a fine of up to 50,000 roubles (£430) for a first offence. Repeat offenders risk jail terms.
“Where is the discrediting,” he asked. “I am a person whose petitions [have led to] the imprisonment of about eight people in St Petersburg, and throughout Russia more than 20.”
The official notice showed Mr Bulatov’s case was registered on Tuesday, but gave no further details.
Bulatov nicknamed the ‘gay fighter’
Mr Bulatov has openly discussed his activity as a serial informer whose denunciations have led to a slew of civil and criminal cases being filed against individuals.
Referred to as the “gay fighter” by some in Russia’s media, Mr Bulatov has long focused his denunciations on LGBT people. By his own account, at least 60 LGBT school teachers have lost their jobs after he found their social media profiles and reported them to authorities.
Homosexuality is not criminalised in Russia, but authorities have used laws against “gay propaganda” for more than a decade to pursue civil and criminal cases against LGBT people.
Mr Bulatov’s campaigns have extended beyond LGBT people.
Separate cases were opened against two individuals who posted photographs online of themselves standing partially unclothed in front of Russian Orthodox churches after Mr Bulatov reported them to authorities, Ostorozhno Novosti said.
More recently, Russian independent media have linked Mr Bulatov to denunciations of those seen as opposing the war in Ukraine.
The St Petersburg branch head of the PEN International writers’ association was fined under the “discrediting” law after Mr Bulatov wrote online that she had been “spreading lies” about the Russian army.