A 21-year-old resident of Dagestan named Magomed S. has been fined 10,000 rubles for inciting ethnic hatred against Russians in a UFC Telegram chat. The Kizlyar District Court ruled on the case after Center E authorities discovered the violation. Magomed posted inflammatory comments in the UFC Eurasia chat three years ago during an argument with other users, but apologized within 90 minutes, stating that there are worthy people among Russians. In court, Magomed admitted guilt and expressed remorse for his actions. The case was prosecuted under Article 20.3.1 of the Administrative Code.
A 21-year-old man from Dagestan has been fined 10,000 rubles after a Russian court found him guilty of inciting ethnic hatred in a UFC-themed Telegram chat group.
The Kizlyar District Court handed down the ruling following an investigation by Center E, the Russian law enforcement unit tasked with countering extremism. The case was prosecuted under Article 20.3.1 of the Administrative Code, which covers the incitement of hatred or enmity on the basis of ethnicity or nationality.
According to court records, Magomed S. posted inflammatory comments directed at Russians in the UFC Eurasia Telegram chat approximately three years before the ruling. The remarks emerged during an argument with other users in the group. Within 90 minutes of posting, however, Magomed retracted the comments and apologized, acknowledging that there are worthy people among Russians.
In court, the defendant admitted guilt and expressed remorse for his conduct. The relatively swift retraction and the admission of wrongdoing appear to have been factors in the proceedings, though the court nonetheless imposed the financial penalty.
Why it matters
- The case illustrates how MMA fan communities on messaging platforms can become sites of legal scrutiny in Russia.
- Article 20.3.1 of the Russian Administrative Code has been applied with increasing frequency to social media and chat group activity.
- The ruling is a reminder that comments made in online sports communities, even when quickly deleted or walked back, can carry legal consequences under Russian law.
