"Court" in occupied Crimea fines human rights activist and journalist Lutfiye Zudiyeva

The Russian-controlled Kyiv District Court in Simferopol fined human rights activist and journalist Lutfiya Zudieva 2,500 rubles under the article on "abuse of freedom of the media," UNN reports citing Crimean Solidarity.

A protocol was drawn up against her for "disseminating information about foreign agents or materials produced by them in the media without indicating the status of a foreign agent".

According to Zudiyeva, the court ruled without her participation and did not consider her written objections in the administrative case. The human rights defender believes that she is not a subject of the offense and as an individual was not obliged to comply with the requirements, and the head of the department of the Center for Countering Extremism in Crimea Ruslan Shambazov actually equated her personal Facebook page with a registered media outlet.

"Due to an accident on the road and traffic jams, I was a few minutes late. I warned the judge through my defense counsel, but for some reason she considered it disrespectful. I will present all my arguments that I prepared for the hearing and did not voice in the appeal," Zudiyeva said.

The human rights activist stated that only either the editorial board or the founder of the media outlet, as well as the editor-in-chief or other official, can be brought to administrative responsibility under part 2.1 of Article 13.15 of the Administrative Code.

"... It is the body authorized to supervise the media that should draw up this protocol and submit it to the judicial authorities for consideration," - lawyer Emil Kurbedinov said after the meeting.

The Kyiv District Court did not agree with the defense counsel's arguments. The hearing lasted 8 minutes, Crimean Solidarity notes.