Maoist from Yekaterinburg detained for distributing free food in park

On October 7, the Kirovsky District Court of Yekaterinburg found the young man guilty of organizing an unauthorized public event (Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation) for feeding homeless people in a park and sentenced him to nine days in jail.

The police filed a report against the Yekaterinburg resident for allegedly setting up a folding table in the park, along with posters that read "Free food distribution" and "Food instead of bombs. Access to food is a right, not a privilege."

The Union of Maoists of the Urals stated that the detainee is not part of their organization. In a comment to "7x7," they added that of the four people detained, only one was their supporter, and that individual had not yet been sentenced.

On October 6, the police detained four individuals for participating in the "Food Instead of Bombs" event. Two were released after the police drew up reports. One of the detainees, 24-year-old Nikita Shevchenko, has not been in contact since. Activists reported that "an officer from the 'E' Center took him into a separate room."

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