Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of ALDE member party YABLOKO, welcomed the news that Alexandra Kornilova and Olga Zaletskaya have been transferred from custody to house arrest but vowed “We will continue to seek their final release and closing of the case”. European Liberal Democrats have also expressed their concerns over the case.

On 25 March 2015, Alexandra Kornilova, director of the Lentorg trade network and Olga Zaletskaya, deputy of the Pertozavodsk City Council were detained in Petrozavodsk. Yesterday the Karelian supreme court gave way under pressure from 230 citizens and more than 1900 signatures collected online as well as five deputies of the Karelian Parliament to transfer Kornilova and Zaletskaya from custody to house arrest. Zaletskaya stands accused of signing a contract regarding the sale of a municipal building at an allegedly low price. It was reported Zaletskaya signed the contract only after being obliged to do so by the court. Ella Pamfilova, Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia, sent a telegramme to Yuri Baboydo, head of the Investigative Committee of Karelia, demanding change in the measure of restraint for Kornilova and Zaletskaya. Sergei Mitrokhin, Party Leader of ALDE member party YABLOKO commented: “I am glad that Alexandra Kornilova and Olga Zaletskaya have been released from custody. We will continue to seek their final release and closing of the case”.

Earlier, European Liberal Democrats expressed their concerns. “It is outrageous and sad that the political opposition is facing this kind of treatment. Olga Zaletskaya and Alexandra Kornilova must immediately be released from prison,” commented Johan Ekman, spokesperson for international affairs of ALDE Party member SFP, while the International Network of Liberal Women condemned the continuous arresting and imprisoning of members of oppositional parties in the Republic of Karelia in the Russian Federation. The President of the ALDE in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Jordi Xuclà said: “ALDE-PACE is concerned about the growing number of reports pointing at the abuse of justice to silence political opponents in Russia. This case is part of a larger campaign aiming to put pressure on the opposition in the region and the country. We condemn the political use of justice and express solidarity with those in Russia who stand for democratic pluralism, separation of powers and the rule of law.”