13 March 2024, 18:46
Sochi activist Atamanchuk complains about falsification of court records
The defence requested the protocols of court hearings in the case against Vladimir Atamanchuk, a 72-year-old activist from Sochi, since the protocol, which the defence had already managed to get for examination, contained words with an accusatory slant that were not voiced during the court hearing.
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on November 11, 2023, investigators closed the case on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces against Vladimir Atamanchuk, but instituted a criminal case against him on defamation. The activist called it fabricated.
On October 24, Vladimir Atamanchuk claimed that the police promised to institute a criminal case against him for defamation based on a complaint from two residents together with whom Vladimir Atamanchuk participated in the elections a year ago. The activist noted that law enforcers offered him to admit guilt in defamation in exchange for closing the case on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. Advocate Roman Klykov emphasizes that putting pressure on the defendant to force him to incriminate himself is unacceptable.
Advocate Irina Zheltukhina emphasizes that her client’s actions do not constitute a crime, since even if it is assumed that it was the defendant who wrote and posted leaflets, public prosecutors have no evidence that he had the intent to disseminate deliberately false information.
Vladimir Atamanchuk himself claimed that he did not do what he was accused of at all and that he saw the leaflet for the first time at the investigator’s office.
According to Vladimir Atamanchuk’s version, the judge and the secretary enter into the protocol the words and phrases that are accusatory on the part of the participants in the trial, although the latter either did not utter those words and phrases at all or uttered them in a different context. He requested all the protocols of all court hearings for examination, but so far they have not been given to him.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 12, 2024 at 08:43 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Kristina Romanova Source: СK correspondent