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The Leninsky District Court of Vladikavkaz fined Yuliya Melnichenko 5,000 roubles (around US$55) under the article for non-compliance with rules of conduct in an emergency situation (Part 1, Article 20.6.1 of the Administrative Code). She told OVD-Info about this herself.

In July, the authorities of the republic banned mass gatherings, citing a threat of attacks on participants in the war in Ukraine and drone strikes. Melnichenko, however, was holding a solo protest.

'I tried to point out that only MASS public events are banned in North Ossetia and that a solo protest doesn’t fall under that category. I wanted to cite the law, but Judge Khachaturyants Sogomon Paylakovich interrupted me; he had no intention of listening, as he already had his decision made. The hearing lasted two minutes; the decision was delivered in one, ' she says.

On 30 October, Melnichenko stood outside the prosecutor’s office building with a placard reading: 'Stop the repression'. According to the young woman, her family is facing pressure because they are Ukrainian:

'This includes beatings, confiscation of our plot of land without a court hearing-even though such confiscation is only possible by court order-as well as fabricating various administrative and criminal cases against us.'

This autumn, Melnichenko has already been detained for similar solo protests.