The ex-director of the FBK, Ivan Zhdanov, called the replacement of his father Yuri Zhdanov with a suspended sentence for a real one in the case of fraud as revenge and pressure on supporters of Alexei Navalny.
“This [решение суда] associated with my political activities. We have posted the materials of the father’s case before. Obviously, there is no corpus delicti. Why was the conditional term replaced with a real one? I have no understanding, but this is entirely in the logic of the Russian authorities and their decisions on political matters,” Zhdanov told Znak.com.
He suggested that the replacement of punishment with a real one was due to the fact that “many were encouraged when he was given a suspended sentence.” “The authorities do not like it when the opposition rejoices. Everyone should be kept depressed and depressed. But this will not affect our activities in any way. To think that this can break us or stop us is simply ridiculous, ”said Zhdanov.
The criminal case against Yuri Zhdanov was initiated last spring. According to investigators, when Zhdanov worked as deputy head in the village of Iskateley in the Nenets District, then, being a member of the housing commission, he recommended that the head of the village allocate an apartment to the woman under a social contract. However, later it turned out that this family was already receiving a housing subsidy.
Initially, Yuri Zhdanov was sent to the pre-trial detention center in Nizhny Novgorod, then transferred to Yaroslavl. In December 2021, the court found Yuri Zhdanov guilty of fraud and forgery. He was given 3 years probation. Then the prosecutor’s office considered the sentence too lenient and appealed against it.
