Russian opposition politician Nadezhdin fined over Meduza interview
A Moscow court fined Russian politician Boris Nadezhdin for giving an interview to Meduza, which Russia has designated an 'undesirable' organization. The fine came a day after news broke that he had left the country.
A court in Moscow's Nikulinsky District has ordered Russian politician Boris Nadezhdin to pay a 10,000-ruble fine for participating in the activities of an organization Russia deems 'undesirable,' under Article 20.33 of the country's Administrative Offenses Code.
The case was based on an interview Nadezhdin gave to Meduza, which Russian authorities have labeled 'undesirable.' The interview was published on July 14.
The fine was announced just one day after Nadezhdin revealed he had left Russia.
Barred from Duma race
Nadezhdin had been planning to run as an independent candidate in September's elections to the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament. Shortly after he began gathering the signatures needed to support his candidacy, the Justice Ministry designated him a 'foreign agent.'
In mid-July, he was also fined under a separate administrative provision for displaying 'extremist symbols,' in connection with a photo of Alexey Navalny. Both the 'foreign agent' label and the fine disqualified him from running in the election. It was against this backdrop that Nadezhdin left the country.
