Russian Federation: Prisoner of conscience Konstantin Kotov should be immediately and unconditionally released

On 2 March 2020, the Second Court of Cassation in Moscow will review the case of human rights defender Konstantin Kotov, who has been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for “repeated violation of rules governing public events” under Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code. On 27 January, Russia’s Constitutional Court ordered a review of the conviction and sentence of Konstantin Kotov noting that criminal punishment for the respective violations should be proportionate to the actual damage or public danger caused by an offence. Furthermore, it obliged courts to check if the person has criminal intent to commit such violations.