(FiveNation.com)- A former Russian interior ministry captain was arrested in Moscow earlier this month for allegedly spreading fake information about Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine.
Sergei Klokov, 37, has been confined to pre-trial detention for two months after it was discovered he was making personal phone calls in which he condemned Russian troops in Ukraine. His was the seventh arrest under the new Criminal Code of Conduct article passed by Parliament in early March.
Klokov was arrested for spreading “inaccurate information about the actions of the Russian military” in phone conversations.
According to the Russian media outlet Meduza, authorities raided his home on March 16 and confiscated his devices. His mother, Lyudmila Klokova, told Meduza that police showed up around 11:00 pm after the children were asleep and the family was getting ready for bed. They searched the house and took her son into custody.
Both his mother and his wife, Tatyana assured Meduza that Klokova’s dissent was only expressed privately in phone calls. Nothing was said publicly or even privately on social media. Tatyana Klokova told Meduza that her husband doesn’t even have any social media accounts.
According to his mother, in the calls, Sergei Klokov had said he opposed Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine and asked why blood must be shed if it was possible both sides could come to an agreement. She said Klokov said it was wrong that both Russians and Ukrainians are dying.
Sergei Klokov’s family doesn’t know where he is being detained.
“No one knows anything,” his mother said, “not even the lawyer.”
In early March, Russia’s parliament passed a law imposing a jail term of up to 15 years for spreading intentionally “fake” news about the military and Putin’s “special operation” in Ukraine.
Lawmakers also passed amendments to the criminal code making the spread of “fake” information an offense punishable by fines or jail time. They also imposed fines for making public calls for sanctions against Russia.
