Police Russian, photo: Alexander Blinov / Alamy / Profimedia Images
An increasing number of Russians accused of various crimes are evaded by justice by making donations to support the Ukraine war. The BBC has discovered numerous cases throughout the country, which involves anything, from poaching to corruption.
Lawyers say that, as a result, some judicial processes become meaningless, raising question marks on the long -term integrity of the Russian justice system, writes BBC Russian.
On the evening of September 2024, Sergei Khamnuev, from Buriatiei, went on a fishing expedition to Lake Baikal. Its purpose was to catch the man- a very appreciated fish variety, originally from the Baikal region. The fishing in the man is strictly regulated in Russia and completely forbidden during the September deposit season.
Despite the fact that he knew all this, Khamnuev went ahead and caught 12 fish. The police were waiting for him when he returned to the shore and recognized his guilt. The damage caused by its illegal fishing was estimated at 87,000 rubles (just over $ 1,000), which it volunteered. However, this did not exempt the criminal prosecution.
In November 2024, a court in Severobaikalsk found Khamnuev guilty of poaching, on the basis (Article 256 of the Criminal Code) and sentenced to a sentence with suspension with corrective work. He was asked to register with the conditional issuing office and to be presented every two months. The court also ordered the confiscation of his fishing boat and the destruction of the seized man.
Khamnuev decided to challenge the decision, and in December 2024, the Court of Severobaikalsk reviewed the appeal. Unlike the court, it has found reasons not only to reduce the punishment, but also to completely release Khamnuev. The court considered that he cooperated in the investigation and paid the necessary damages, but there was also an additional factor in his favor: a donation to a local charitable organization that raises funds for the Ukraine war.
