Crimea's Supreme Court overturns a verdict from 2011 against a school teacher for inciting pro-Russian separatism

The Crimean Supreme Court has overturned the verdict against Valery Podyachii, who was convicted in 2011 for advocating the peninsula’s return to Russia. The Ukrainian courts found him guilty of violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sentenced him to three years probation and a year’s community service.

A math teacher, Podyachii is also the founder of a pro-Russian “people’s front” organization. Ukrainian officials charged him with inciting separatism in 2011 after his group called for Crimea to join the Russian Federation and raise the Russian tricolor over local government buildings. 

Podyachii's felony conviction prevented him from continuing to work as a teacher.