MOSCOW, April 18 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) – A court in the capital of Russia’s Republic of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude, has given civil society activist Vladimir Khagdayev a 3-year suspended sentence for a post of a separatist nature on Vkontakte social network, attorney Viktor Laperdin told RAPSI on Tuesday.

According to investigators, between September 2014 and January 2015, Khagdayev, who had personal beliefs aimed at unification of Mongolian nations in one state, published an image containing quotation from the video interview of a St. Petersburg journalist and two comments. Experts found that the post and comments were pushing for actions aimed at Buryatia’s secession.

Moreover, two packs with cannabis were seized during searches conducted at the defendant’s garage.

Khagdayev was found guilty of calls to separatism and possession of drugs with no intent to sell.