Russia: Man Jailed for Wearing Ukrainian Trident Pendant

A Moscow court has sentenced a 44-year-old man to five days of administrative detention for wearing a necklace with a pendant shaped like a Ukrainian trident, absurdly classifying the national symbol of Ukraine as "Nazi symbolism." This case is indicative of the Russian authorities' escalating campaign to suppress any expression associated with Ukraine, using overly broad and politically motivated anti-extremism laws.
On July 8, the Golovinsky District Court of Moscow found the man, a carpenter named Dmitry Gerya, guilty of "publicly displaying Nazi symbolism of extremist organizations" under Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. The "offense" occurred on July 6, when Gerya wore the chain with the small, white metal pendant. The trident, or tryzub, is the official state coat of arms of Ukraine and a centuries-old national symbol. By equating it with Nazism, Russian authorities are engaging in a gross distortion of history to justify the persecution of individuals for peaceful expression.
In court, Gerya admitted guilt, stating that a friend had gifted him the chain a decade ago and that he had put it on while intoxicated, without considering the political implications of the symbol. In addition to the five-day jail sentence, the court ordered the pendant to be confiscated.