The court dismissed the criminal case against journalist Sergei Mingazov in connection with his death.

The Krasnoflotsky District Court of Khabarovsk dismissed the criminal case against Sergei Mingazov due to the defendant's death. The renowned journalist remained on trial for allegedly spreading military "fakes," despite his advanced stage four cancer.

Persecution despite a fatal illness

Since February, the journalist had been undergoing complex treatment. Specifically, he underwent two major surgeries and several grueling courses of chemotherapy for an aggressive form of cancer. Nevertheless, the court deemed his condition insufficient grounds to drop the prosecution. Moreover, the state prosecutor's office actively pushed for a harsher sentence.

Reposts about Bucha and the prosecutor's demands

Law enforcement officers detained Sergei Mingazov on April 26, 2024. Since then, the case has gone through several courts. Initially, the journalist was fined 700 rubles, but the fine was later increased to 2,5 million rubles.

However, the prosecutor's office deemed this sentence too lenient. Consequently, the prosecution requested a six-year prison sentence for the 65-year-old journalist for reposting stories about the killings of civilians in Bucha. Ultimately, Sergei Mingazov died on July 2, without ever receiving a final verdict.

Confiscation of property after death

The court officially decided to drop the prosecution on July 13. The Krasnoflotsky District Court was scheduled to hold its next hearing that day. The defense also reported on the fate of the deceased's personal belongings.

"The material evidence in the case—a laptop and a smartphone—has been confiscated by the state," said Sergei Mingazov's lawyer, Konstantin Bubon.