A private person of the year – student Egor Zhukov

21-year-old student of the HSE and a political blogger Egor Zhukov, one of the defendants in the “Moscow business”, was indicted twice, and both times the charges were absurd. First he tried to make one of the “organizers” of the summer protests in Moscow on the basis of the video where something similar to a person “makes the right gestures”, and then was accused of appeals to extremism on the basis of the evaluation of four videos from the YouTube channel Zhukov, an expert from the FSB has no legal or linguistic education. But if the first charge was dropped for lack of evidence, on the other hand, the state prosecution asked for Zhukov four years in prison.

the absurdity of the charges Zhukov and the prospect of four years in prison for the four videos made its history one of the most vocal in the “Moscow business”, and campaign support – one of the most popular. “Tower” business of Zhukov were divided into those who came for him in the pickets, and believed Zhukov worthy of the chief student award of the University, and those who, like the rector Yaroslav Kuzminov said that the case of student learning, not politics.

the Last word of Zhukov in front of the sentence sounded like a political Manifesto. He talked about the state which separates rechelbacher people, and the belief that in the future Russia will be a country of people who are motivated by love and responsibility. Judge Svetlana Ukhnalev, on the contrary, decided that Zhukov was motivated by “political hatred” towards a social group “the current government” actually considering education Zhukova aggravating circumstance, but, contrary to the position of the prosecution, did not deprive Zhukov freedom, giving him three years probation and banning blogging.

Zhukov at the end of the University needs to obtain the diploma of the political scientist, but in 2019, he seems to have taken a step in the direction to turn the student in politics.

the Editors of “Vedomosti” selected “Persona of the year” in six nominations: “Politician”, “Businessman”, “Professional”, “Private person”, “Mystery” and “Cultural hero.”

Compare editor’s choice and readers.