Ivan Rostovtsev, editor-in-chief of the independent Vladimir-based outlet Chesnok, has been fined for the third time in one week in administrative cases involving reports on the aftermath of drone attacks.
On October 16, a court fined him 30,000 rubles. Two days earlier, Rostovtsev was fined another 30,000 rubles in each of two separate administrative cases.
The three fines total 90,000 rubles.
According to Chesnok, the latest case concerned an article in which the outlet cited, among other things, a statement by the governor of the Vladimir region.
Rostovtsev’s defense argued that the article did not violate the regional authorities’ ban on publishing information about the consequences of attacks.
In the two other cases, the defense also noted that the texts at issue did not directly mention drones.
The courts rejected the defense’s arguments.