Almost 750 participants in unauthorized rallies arrested, more than 2,000 fined in St. Petersburg for 2 weeks

ST. PETERSBURG. March 11 (Interfax) - Some 3,000 people have been subjected to administrative liability in St. Petersburg for participation in unauthorized events that have been held since February 24, the unified press service for the city's courts said on Friday.

Courts received for consideration 3,784 materials and considered 3,062 of them from February 25, to March 11.

Seven hundred forty-eight activists were arrested, 2,098 were fined, and 81 were sentenced to correctional labor.

A the same time, the courts closed 125 cases, returned 259 cases for flaws to be fixed, and postponed trials for 420 cases.

The courts have received ten protocols based on the article of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences dealing with "public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Russian Armed Forces to defend the interests of the country and its citizens, to maintain international peace and security." Some of the violators were given fines after the cases were considered.