A Russian publicist in Yekaterinburg faces administrative charges because he called a local city councilman a ‘condom’ on Facebook

Prosecutors in Yekaterinburg have opened a criminal case against publicist Platon Mamatov, in response to a police report filed by City Councilman Evgeny Borovik over an argument in late June that took place on Facebook. Mamatov is charged with violating Article 5.61 of Russia’s Administrative Code — the misdemeanor offense of “insulting someone in a public speech or speech shown in the mass media.”

In a heated exchange of Facebook comments, Borovik implied that he would beat up Mamatov, who responded, “You’re such a boring, predictable scumbag.” (Literally, Mamatov called him a “condom” — a colorful invective in Russian slang.)

Who cares about two loudmouths bickering on social media?

Evgeny Borovik isn’t just any loudmouth. Having changed his party affiliation at least eight times, he entered Yekaterinburg’s City Council in 2013. In February 2018, he offered a cash reward to the person who could sling the most mud at presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak. A month later, Borovik fled to Paris, after his Sobchak-defamation contest triggered a hate-speech criminal investigation. In April, the case against him was closed, and Borovik returned to Yekaterinburg.

In June, Borovik and another city councilman were accused of failing to report their income for the previous year.