Yury Samoilov, a visitor from Stavropol, was arrested for 14 days by the Cheryomushkinsky Court of Moscow for showing other passengers on the metro his phone screen saver, which featured a chevron belonging to the Ukrainian nationalist regiment “Azov”, an organisation that has been recognised as a terrorist group and is banned in Russia. According to TASS, Samoilov was sentenced to administrative arrest on March 18. The court decision states that on March 16, one of the passengers called the police, leading to Samoilov’s detainment. The court also mentioned that Samoilov often reposted videos on YouTube which criticised and discredited officials of the Russian Federation and special military operations, without verifying the facts indicated in the video recordings. When questioned in court, Samoilov said he initially held a neutral position towards the situation in Ukraine, but following looking at certain YouTube channels, including those recognised as foreign agents in Russia, he took an anti-Russian position. The punishment for the production and distribution of extremist materials, which Samoilov was accused of, is either an administrative fine of 1-3,000 rubles or administrative arrest for up to 15 days with the confiscation of said materials.
The Cheryomushkinsky Court of Moscow arrested Yury Samoilov, a visitor from Stavropol, for 14 days for “demonstrating to the passengers of the metropolitan metro” a telephone, on the screen saver of which was a chevron of the Ukrainian nationalist regiment “Azov” (recognized as a terrorist organization in the Russian Federation and banned). This is reported TASS with reference to the judgment.
The media reported on the imposition of a sentence in the form of administrative arrest on 40-year-old Yury Samoilov on March 18, from the data of the court it follows that the decision was taken March 17. The incident happened on March 16th. One of the passengers called the police, following which Mr. Samoilov was detained.
The court decision states that “on March 16, in the metro, Samoilov publicly demonstrated to an unlimited circle of people a graphic image installed on the screensaver of a mobile phone in the form of a chevron of the Azov regiment.”
“Often he was engaged in reposting videos from the Youtube portal in which they criticized and discredited officials of the Russian Federation, the very conduct of a special military operation. He did not verify the facts that were indicated in the video recordings, ”the court’s decision also says.
In court, Yuri Samoilov stated that “initially he was neutral towards the SVO in Ukraine, but then, looking at certain Youtube channels, including those recognized in the Russian Federation as foreign agents, he took an anti-Russian position.”
Article 20.29. “Production and distribution of extremist materials”. The punishment provides for the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of 1,000 to 3,000 rubles. or administrative arrest for up to 15 days with confiscation of the said materials.
In conclusion, the story of Yury Samoilov’s arrest reflects the strict laws governing the public display of extremist materials in Russia. While the use of a Ukrainian nationalist regiment’s chevron as a screensaver may seem harmless to some, in the eyes of the law, it constitutes a serious offense. Samoilov’s case highlights the importance of being mindful of what one displays in public, especially in a politically charged environment.
