Penza, 3 July 2018. PenzaNews. A punishment in the form of five days of administrative arrest was imposed on the press secretary of the youth organization of the left – New Age Generation, Vladimir Rechkalov, who had been detained in Penza on July 1 after the rally against retirement age increase, and the next day was found guilty by the court of neglecting lawful order of a police officer.

Photo: The press office New Age Generation

As the press service of New Age Generation told Penza news, the ground for this was the event that occurred on May 5.

"The reason why Vladimir Rechkalov was brought to justice was the fact that together with others who had come to the building of the Penza department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on May 5 to support the citizens arrested during a walk along Moskovskaya street, he had blocked the way of a police vehicle allegedly having parked in front of the car's hood," the organization explained.

The press service noted that a complaint would be filed against the decision of the judge of the Zheleznodorozhny district court, Lyudmila Demina: if it remains unsatisfied, Vladimir Rechkalov will be released from the detention centre in the village of Lesnoy on Friday, July 6.

New Age Generation added that previously similar punishments in connection with protest campaigns had been imposed on two other Penza activists – Alexander Shipanov received five days of arrest, Andrei Lomakin – four days.