The Gagarinsky District Court of Moscow ordered pro-government political scientist Sergei Markov to pay a fine of 35,000 rubles for violating the procedure for the activities of a foreign agent. Markov came to court wearing a T-shirt with a portrait of Vladimir Putin and the inscription “For Russia.”
“I don’t want to come up with political slogans, but I am a supporter of Vladimir Putin, I was his confidant, I supported the SVO. I was not the only one who was shocked by the decision of the Ministry of Justice (on recognition as a “foreign agent”). You were not on the bus, but you were recognized as a free rider. How is that?” Meduza quotes him.
Radio Liberty notes that, in fact, Markov was accused of not asking to be included in the list before the authorities included him in the register of “foreign agents.” His lawyer Alexey Molokhov said that the elements of Markov’s offense contradict the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Markov is a former deputy of the State Duma and a regular part of propaganda television programs, who invariably defended the position of the Russian authorities. He was included in the register after taking part in a forum at which Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev spoke out in support of Ukraine.