Russian authorities arrested a man in Vladivostok at the end of January for his social media posts in favor of Israel in its war against Hamas.
The Leninsky District Court of Vladivostok charged the man, whose name and image have not been released, with incitement of national or religious hatred, Russian state media reported.
He was sentenced to five days of administrative arrest, meaning he was not given a trial.Â
Suspect releases apology video
“A resident of Vladivostok, an active social media user, expressed support for Israel’s aggressive actions against Gaza residents and insulted opponents,” a press release from the district court reads. “The next day, law enforcement officers detained the ‘commentator.’ The Leninsky District Court of Vladivostok found the man guilty of committing an administrative offense.”
In a video shared on Telegram, the suspect, who had his face blurred and name redacted, admitted guilt and apologized for his comments. He then warned social network users against posting content that goes against Russian laws.Â
The man’s arrest comes after Russia saw proposed legislation that would enforce harsher punishments for inciting hatred or enmity. According to Russian media, even a single offense would have criminal liability.
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