The recent decision in the criminal case involving the accusation of discrediting the RF Armed Forces was upheld by the court, affecting former Yekaterinburg mayor Yevgeny Roizman, a figure widely known in Russia as a foreign agent. The ruling was announced by the Oktyabrsky District Court of Yekaterinburg and reflected in updates provided by the state news agency TASS.
With the court’s confirmation, certain restrictions that had been in place against Roizman were removed. Before the decision took effect, he faced several limitations, including restrictions on internet use, communication methods, access to public spaces, and contact with witnesses in the case without prior written permission. The change marks a shift in the status of the case and Roizman’s ability to engage in normal civic activities that had previously been curtailed.
On May 28, a road incident involving Roizman occurred, though authorities did not release details of the incident to the public. The incident was reported by traffic authorities but did not include a full account of the circumstances.
Earlier, on May 19, 2023, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Yekaterinburg found Roizman guilty of discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and imposed a fine of 260,000 rubles. The prosecutor’s office had demanded a larger fine of 280,000 rubles. Investigators indicated that the former mayor, during a broadcast in July 2022, referenced Russia’s actions in Ukraine with terms such as “war” and “invasion.”
Later, on March 16 of the following year, the Leninsky District Court in Yekaterinburg ordered Roizman detained for 14 days on charges of displaying extremist symbols on social networks. The sequence of events illustrates a persistent legal process surrounding remarks deemed discrediting to the armed forces and the broader political context in which those remarks occurred.