MOSCOW, September 8 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) - The Preobrazhensky District Court of Moscow has registered a criminal case against Vladimir Ionov, 75, on repeated breaches of the established order for organizing and holding public protests, attorney Olga Chavdar told RAPSI.

The case materials state that Ionov has been charged with administrative liability four times. “He is being charged with participation in two protests in January, one in March and one in May. The court earlier ruled that he pay a fine in relation to the January and March protests. There was no ruling regarding the May protest and the case was forwarded to the Investigative Committee with a request to open a criminal case,” Chavdar says.

According to the lawyer, Ionov denies committing an offense under Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code, on repeated violations of the established order for organizing and holding public protests.

The maximum punishment for the offense is five years in prison. However, Chavdar believes that, if convicted, Ionov could receive a suspended sentence.

The hearings will begin on September 17.