Dmitry Tolstenko - Т-инвариант / T-invariant

Dmitry Tolstenko

Dmitry Tolstenko
Date of incident: November 8, 2023
Type of violation: fine
Institution: Crimean Federal University

Summary: Associate Professor Dmitry Tolstenko was fined 32,000 rubles for demonstrating the symbols of an “extremist” organization and for “discrediting” the Russian army. Police detained Tolstenko at the university before a lecture, Krym.Realii reports.

Details: The police report that Dmitry Tolstenko was charged with discrediting the Russian army (Part 1 of Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses) and demonstrating Nazi or extremist symbols (Part 1 of Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). “In particular, the citizen published a video recording with the symbols of an organization recognized as extremist and banned in the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as a video recording aimed at discrediting the use of the Russian Armed Forces to protect the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens,” writes OVD-Info, citing the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Crimea. According to the Telegram channel “Krymsky SMERSH“, Tolstenko published videos in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the captions: “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!” The channel claims that “Tolstenko will no longer teach.” Since 2002, Dmitry Tolstenko has worked at the Department of Organic and Biological Chemistry at the V. I. Vernadsky Taurida University. He currently teaches at the Taurida Academy, a college at the Crimean Federal University created by Russia.

Sources: Krym.Realii, Krymsky SMERSH

8 November 2023

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Dismissals, fines, stigmatization, criminal cases, torture — all this awaits in Russia those who are trying to tell the truth, oppose war, protect peace, criticize the authorities or simply honestly do their academic and teaching work .

T-invariant and the CISRUS Centerwill work together to chronicle the persecution of scientists in Russia for as long as it continues. If you have witnessed or been the target of academic harassment, please contact us at [email protected].

The chronicle records violations of the rights and freedoms of scientists and teachersas citizens of the Russian Federation, as well as violations of their academic rights and freedoms by the leadership of their scientific institution.