MOSCOW, August 4 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) – The Kostroma Regional Court had ruled to lower a fine imposed on Andrey Pivovarov, a co-chair of the St. Petersburg branch of Russia’s opposition party PARNAS who was found guilty of obtaining illegal access to a closed database, from 1,500,000 million to 1,000,000 rubles (from about $22,500 to $15,000), lawyer Sergey Badamshin told RAPSI on Thursday.

“The court has lowered the fine on Pivovarov down to 1,000,000 rubles, what occurred due to changes in the legislation. I have demanded to overturn the judgement and acquit [Pivovarov]; therefore, of course I will appeal. If need be, I will reach the Supreme Court,” the lawyer said.

According to Badamshin, the court also ruled to take two months off the sentence imposed on policeman Alexey Nikonorov and lower a fine on him from 3,000,000 to 150,000 rubles (from about $45,200 to $2,200).

Investigators and the court have established that last July Alexey Nikonorov, an officer of the Kostroma District Department of the Russia’s Interior Ministry, illegally provided access to a database containing personal information on local residents to Pivovarov. Later, the Investigative Committee informed about yet another criminal case initiated over bribery, as Nikonorov had allegedly received at least 50,000 rubles ($750) from Pivovarov. On June 10 a court in Kostroma found both men guilty. Pivovarov was fined and Nikonorov sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison and a fine in the amount of 3,000,000 rubles.