Press Release, 10.11.2015

District Police Department Arbat is charging YABLOKO Chairman Sergei Mitrokhin with violating the rules of conducting “mass-scale events” Article 20.2 of the Administrative Offences Code) and “defiance of a police lawful order or a demand” (Article 19.3 of the Administrative Offences Code). The latter envisages up to 15 days of administrative arrest.

The case was sent to Presnensky District Court, Moscow, the information on the date of the trial and judge will be given in a few days.

Sergei Mitrokhin was arrested during the annual YABLOKO’s action of paying tribute to the memory of students of military colleges and officers who fought against the Bolviks’ coup d’etat in 1917 and were killed. Annually activists lay flowers to the building where the head quarters of the defenders were and place a paper memorial plaque.

Sergei Mitrokhin was arrested when putting the paper plaque to the wall by the flowers. Policemen who arrived demand to take the paper plaque from the building, Mitrokhin refused. Then police used force and pushed Mitrokhin into the police car and got to the Police Department Arbat.

“I think these accusations completely untenable. I regard these as reprisals for political reasons. Moscow officials were obviously guided by the same motives when banning the remembrance action scheduled on 7th of November which would pay tribute to the memory cadets [students of military colleges] and officers [who fought against the Bolsheviks coup d’ etat], although they gave their permission for the actions of not only the Communist Party, but also the Communists of Russia, the left non-system organizations and others,” Sergei Mitrokhin said.

YABLOKO leader is filing a complaint of abuse of power by the police officers who participated in the arrest.

Sergei Mitrokhin also stated that he was going to complete the mourning ceremony interrupted by the police.

“15th of November was the day of creation of the Volunteer Army, which carried out the same mission as the cadets and officers in Moscow: the defense of freedom, and the law of the Constituent Assembly from the political thugs and usurpers”, he said.

Every year on the 7th of November YABLOKO holds an action in memory of cadets and officers who fought against the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.

Alexandrov Military School was located in Znamenka 19, which was later turned into the headquarters of the resistance to the Bolsheviks. Now Expedition of the General Staff of the Russian military is located in this building. YABLOKO activists traditionally put a temporary paper plaque on the building of the General Staff.