A Mari national movement was fined 50,000 rubles for collaborating with an "undesirable organization," journalist Alexey Seryogin reported on October 10.
The police issued a protocol against the organization "Mari Ushem" following an unscheduled document inspection a month ago. According to Alexey Seryogin, the Ministry of Justice identified a collaboration with the Uralic Center for Indigenous People. "Mari Ushem" had published three posts on its website and VKontakte page referencing the foundation, which promoted the project "Cultural Capital of the Finno-Ugric World."
Igor Kudryavtsev, the organization's chairman, does not plan to appeal the fine.
Journalist Alexey Seryogin was prohibited from live-text reporting during the trial.
"Mari Ushem" focuses on preserving the Mari language and the memory of repressed Mari people, including participants in the First Cheremis War, when some of the Mari people rebelled against being annexed by Rus.