A resident of Karachay-Cherkessia was sentenced to 2.5 years in a penal colony for joining a chat.

A “court” in Cherkessk claims that in the spring of 2024, an unidentified person sent the defendant a link inviting him to join a group chat on Telegram.

A few days after the man clicked “join,” a criminal case was opened against him under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“participation in the activities of an extremist organization, LGBT”).

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