A St. Petersburg court slapped Irina Tsybaneva, 60-year-old retiree, with a two-year suspended prison sentence for leaving a hand-written note on the grave of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s parents, Rotonda reports.
The woman was found guilty of desecrating a burial ground while motivated by political hatred. Tsybaneva is also placed on a two-year probation period.
The state prosecution sought a three-year suspended sentence.
Tsybaneva pleaded partially guilty. She did not contest the fact that she had left the note but claimed that her actions were not motivated by political hatred.
“After seeing the news, I was overwhelmed by fear, I felt very unwell. The fear was so strong that I could not cope with it, and this is possibly my fault. I barely remember writing it [the note], I don’t have any recollection of the text itself. I realise that I succumbed to my emotions and committed an irrational act. I am sorry that my actions could offend or affect someone,” Tsybaneva told the court.
According to her, she was certain that the note would not be noticed by anyone because it was “rolled in a small tube and did not attract any attention”. The note was also placed away from the grave, the woman clarified.
The retiree was initially placed under house arrest but then she was also prohibited from going online and visiting the Serafimovskoe Cemetery where the grave of Putin’s parents is located.
The hand-written note is as follows: “Parents of this maniac, take him with you, he’s causing so much pain and trouble, the whole world is praying he would die
