Ossetian blogger rejects accusation of inciting hatred

Batraz Sidamon, a blogger from North Ossetia, is accused of promoting the superiority of Russians over Ossetians and inciting hatred towards the CPRF (Communist Party of the Russian Federation) and the state. The blogger's defence insists that Sidamon has exercised his right to the freedom of speech.

On May 11, the blogger himself reported the fact that an administrative case was initiated against him under Article 20.3.1 (incitement of hatred or enmity, as well as humiliation of human dignity) of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in his Telegram channel entitled "Sidæmon".

Batraz told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he intends to challenge the charges.

The reason for initiating the case was Sidamon's post of April 4, in which he supported the initiative of Vale Gazzaev, the chairman of the NGO "Nyfs", to rename Lenin Street in the historical centre of Vladikavkaz in honour of Kaurbek Toguzov, a hero of the Soviet Union, who lived in this street.

The post has angered local communists: Kazbek Taisaev, a State Duma MP from the CPRF, wrote in his Telegram channel that such an initiative could be treated as a betrayal of the Soviet past and undermining the Russia's international position.

In his turn, Batraz Sidamon's advocate is sure that the blogger had exercised his right to the freedom of speech. According to the advocate, both the Batraz's and his defence's position is that he had expressed his civil stand, and that criticism of parties cannot be treated as extremism.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 11, 2022 at 10:35 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.