A St. Petersburg court has charged two students with inciting terrorism for painting stencil graffiti of President Vladimir Putin that calls for his murder.
The two young men were detained after spray-painting portraits of Putin with the words “If you see him, kill him” in central St. Petersburg, a local court said. Anti-extremism police detained the suspects, both aged 22, after tracking a car that they had been seen exiting, the Fontanka news website reported.
St. Petersburg’s Oktyabrsky district court charged Islombek Parpiev and Mukhammadaziz Ishmatov with inciting terrorism and vandalism and ordered them to two months of pre-trial detention on Wednesday.
The two are studying in St. Petersburg and are both natives of the city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan, Fontanka reported.
According to the news website, investigators reclassified their case as having terrorist motives after finding banned Islamist literature during a search of the students’ apartment.
Investigators said Parpiev had been commissioned to paint the graffiti by an online acquaintance for 5,000 rubles ($79), the court said in a statement Wednesday.
He reportedly got Ishmatov to help him, a charge Ishmatov denies.
If convicted on the terrorism charges, the suspects could face up to five years in prison.
Russian media have reported that Parpiev is the great-grandson of decorated Red Army war hero Khalil Rasulov, who fought in the Battle for Stalingrad.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
