A man from Daghestan posting under the handle ‘Donald Trump’ has been fined ₽10,000 ($125) for making comments on Telegram containing insults and calls for violence against Armenians.
Tofik Ismailov, 33, was fined by the Lenin District Court in Daghestan on 4 March.
Ismailov was found guilty of inciting hatred or enmity, as well as ‘humiliating the dignity of a person or group of persons on the basis of nationality’. These charges only apply if such actions were committed publicly, including online, but do not constitute a criminal offence.
According to the case materials, the administrative proceedings were initiated over comments the Telegram user left under the nickname ‘Donald Trump’. The authorities have concluded that the posts encouraged ‘actions involving violence, danger, and causing harm’ towards Armenians.
The comments were discovered as early as August 2025. The administrative case was opened on 24 February 2026 by the deputy prosecutor of the Lenin District of Makhachkala following the results of the investigation. In early March, the case materials were submitted to the court. They were initially returned to correct procedural deficiencies, after which, on 4 March, the case was resubmitted to court and considered for consideration.
According to the ruling, during the court session Ismailov did not deny that he had used the account under the name ‘Donald Trump’ nor that he had posted anti-Armenian comments. He admitted his guilt and confirmed that he personally published the posts.
When determining his punishment, the court took into account that Ismailov had admitted his guilt and had not previously been held administratively liable under the same article. These circumstances were considered mitigating. No aggravating circumstances were identified.
As a result, the court imposed the minimum fine provided by law — ₽10,000 ($125). Punishment for such a crime could range between a penalty of between ₽10,000 and ₽20,000 ($125-$250), 100 hours of community service, or 15 days of administrative detention.
The fine must be paid no later than 60 days from the date the decision comes into effect. If the fine is not paid, the offender may face additional liability for evading administrative punishment. This can include a double fine, administrative detention, or community service.
