Moscow City Court cancels fine against non-protester whose leg was broken by police before a protest

Update: On Feburary 25, 2020, Konovalov was given a new 10,000-ruble fine in connection with the same incident.

The Moscow City Court has reversed a 10,000-ruble ($162) fine instituted against Konstantin Konovalov, who has said he was going on a run in central Moscow on July 27 when police violently arrested him, breaking his leg in the process. A protest was scheduled to take place three hours later; Konovalov claims he was not involved in the protest. Protest Apologists, a human rights organization whose attorney Fyodor Sirosh is representing Konovalov, posted about the court’s ruling on Telegram.

Even though the fine against Konovalov has been rejected, he has tried and failed to have a criminal case opened against the police officers who arrested him. His case will now be returned to the lower court for reconsideration.