Coach from Magnitogorsk, fired for an erotic photo shoot 20 years ago, filed a complaint with the ECHR

Kickboxing coach from Magnitogorsk, who was fired because of an erotic photo shoot, Ekaterina Konopenko, filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights. About it informs “MBH Media” with reference to the human rights organization “Memorial”, whose lawyers went to court.

In 2019, Konopenko was fired from the Maximum Children’s and Youth Center for “committing an immoral offense incompatible with continuing work related to educational functions”.

In 2000, while participating in an experimental performance, she starred in an erotic photo shoot. According to Konopenko, at that time she was 20 years old, and she did not work as a teacher.

In 2018, after the merger of several municipal institutions of preschool education, Konopenko, as reported by MBH Media, had a conflict with the new leadership. According to the coach, after this conflict, the club’s management began to look for an excuse to fire her.

In June 2019, the deputy director of the Maximum school wrote a letter to the regional ombudsman for human rights and asked her to check Konopenko’s photos and videos for the content of propaganda of violence and cruelty.

The Ombudsman forwarded the appeal to the prosecutor’s office. As a result, according to the prosecutor’s office, the coach was dismissed due to an immoral act (part 1 of article 81 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

Konopenko tried to achieve reinstatement through the court. However, the appeals were dismissed.

At the ECHR, lawyers complain about a violation of Articles 8 (right to respect for private life) and 10 (freedom of expression) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.