Supreme Court presidium reverses sentence to opposition activist Dadin
MOSCOW. Feb 22 (Interfax) - The Russian Supreme Court presidium has reversed the sentence for opposition activist Ildar Dadin, who was earlier imprisoned for numerous violations of rally regulations, an Interfax correspondent reported from the court hearing on Wednesday.
"Reopen the proceedings in the Dadin case due to new circumstances, reverse the sentenced handed down by the Moscow Basmanny District Court to Dadin, close the case due to the absence of evidence of a crime in his actions," the presidium said in its decision.
The decision was read after considering the recommendation made by Supreme Court Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev for reopening of the legal proceedings in the Dadin case in the light of a decision made by the Russian Constitutional Court.
Thus, the presidium agreed with arguments presented by the court chairman, a representative of the Prosecutor General's office and defense lawyers, who believed that precisely such actions should be taken on the case.
Dadin was the first and so far the only person convicted for a crime under Article 212.1 of the Russian Criminal Code after its new edition appeared in the Russian Criminal Code in summer 2014. The crime is punishable by up to five years in jail. People who previously committed an administrative violation of the same name (Article 20.2 of the Russian Code of Administrative Violations) more than two times over the course of 180 days are prosecuted in accordance with Article 212.1.
In December 2015, Dadin was found guilty of a crime under the disputed article. He was sentenced to three years in jail, and the term was later reduced to 2.5 years.
In December 2016, the Russian Supreme Court refused to revise the sentence for the activist in accordance with cassation procedures, not finding irregularities in his case.
The Russian Constitutional Court on February 10, 2017 said in its decision on the activist's claim about Article 212.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (repeat violations of the rules governing the organization of rallies, demonstrations and pickets), that the court decisions made on Dadin were subject to revision. The Constitutional Court found that the contested article did not contradict the Russian Constitution, but recommended that the legislator make adjustments to it.