MOSCOW, September 26 (RAPSI, Kirill Ryabchikov) – The Moscow City Court on Thursday postponed hearing of appeals against sentence given to actor Pavel Ustinovv, who had been earlier found guilty of inflicting bodily harm to law enforcement officer during an unauthorized rally, until September 30, RAPSI reported from the courtroom.
The decision was made to create technical conditions for watching videos as was requested by the defendant, his defense and prosecution.
On Thursday, Russia’s ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova attended the hearing to support Ustinov. She welcomed the court’s decision to add video records to case papers submitted by witnesses and expressed hope that the court would deliver a just ruling. Earlier, Moskalkova backed up release of the actor from detention. Following the hearing she told journalists that the court attained justice. She also hopes appeals against Ustinov’s sentence will be considered thoroughly.
Appeals against Ustinov’s sentence have been filed both by the defendant and prosecution. However, prosecutors do not challenge the guilty verdict against Ustinov, they believe the sentence should be mitigated. According to the court’s press service, the Prosecutor General’s Office seeks non-custodial punishment for the actor.
The defendant and his defense petition for acquittal.
On September 16, Ustinov was found guilty of inflicting personal injury to a National Guard officer when being arrested during an authorized rally and received 3.5 years behind bars. However, the defendant pleaded not guilty and appealed against the ruling.
According to investigators, the man was an active participant of the unauthorized rally in central Moscow on August 3. While being arrested he resisted a National Guard officer causing him a shoulder point closed dislocation.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.