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The court has sent 35-year-old Maria Makhmutova from Shelekhov in the Irkutsk region to a pre-trial detention centre on criminal charges of insulting a public official (Article 319 of the Russian Criminal Code) and using violence against a public official (Article 318 of the Russian Criminal Code). This was reported by the regional office of the Investigative Committee.
Lenta.ru writes that the Kirovsky District Court in Irkutsk chose the preventive measure.
Earlier, the Investigative Committee had stated that the case for insulting an official was opened because Makhmutova had insulted a police officer on social media.
The agency did not specify the circumstances of the violence charge, but at the end of June the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that during investigative actions in the case over the insult to a police officer, the blogger bit an investigator, for which she faces criminal liability. She also kicked a female police officer—for this, she was jailed for 13 days under a protocol for battery (Article 6.1.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences).
On 12 June, Makhmutova posted a video on Instagram in which she criticised the celebration of Russia Day and swore at participants of the war in Ukraine:
“What kind of holiday is this, fuck? An awesome holiday—Russia Day. And what, are you proud of something, for fuck’s sake? What are you proud of, fuck? That you’re barely making enough to survive? That you have to kill people to buy yourself cars and flats, for fuck’s sake, drinking like it’s your last day, and wearing fucking medals. Your medals now—that’s a mark for life, that’s a stigma for life that you’re fucking murderers. …> If all the special military operation scum drop dead tomorrow, I’ll drink some wine,” the woman said, among other things. Later, she posted another video criticising Russia Day celebrations, calling what was happening a “freak show.”
Makhmutova’s account has over five thousand followers. After the videos were posted, informers from the “Zov naroda” movement filed complaints against her with the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General’s Office.
After that, the blogger posted an apology video: she cried, said she was not ready to be separated from her child, and tried to cut her wrists.
The next day, security forces came to Makhmutova’s home. She refused to open the door and, according to the police, was holding a knife and threatening to harm herself. The Ministry of Emergency Situations officers forced open the door, after which the blogger was detained.
Because of the video, a protocol accusing Makhmutova of discrediting the army (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) was drawn up against her. This is due to be heard on 11 July.
In addition, on 7 July she was jailed for five days under a protocol for drug use (Part 1, Article 6.9 of the Code of Administrative Offences) over “Corvalol.”