Moscow court sentences Armenian blogger to five years in prison Updated

A Moscow court has sentenced blogger Areg Shchepikhin to five years in a standard-regime penal colony in a case concerning incitement of hatred, according to RIA Novosti.

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Armenian blogger Areg Shchepikhin may be sentenced to six years in a general regime colony, after the state prosecutor requested such a term during hearings at Moscow’s Presnensky court. 

Shchepikhin is accused of calling for extremism and inciting hatred.

TASS reported that the court noted the blogger has admitted his guilt and expressed remorse for his actions.

Earlier, a forensic psychiatric examination found that Shchepikhin suffers from a mixed personality disorder.

The charges against Areg Samvelovich Shchepikhin, who is of Armenian ethnicity, involve multiple provisions of the Russian Criminal Code. He is accused under Part 2 of Article 280 and paragraph “a” of Part 2 of Article 282 for public calls to extremism and incitement to hatred with the threat of violence. He also faces charges under Part 1 of Article 148 for public actions expressing obvious disrespect for society, aimed at offending the religious feelings of believers.

Additional accusations include committing extremist acts through information and telecommunications networks, including the Internet, and public actions intended to humiliate or incite enmity against groups based on ethnicity or religion, involving the use or threat of violence.

The court is continuing to hear arguments and review evidence before issuing a final ruling.

By Tamilla Hasanova