Statement by the Moscow branch of YABLOKO, 02.07.2015

Within the last weeks of spring and the beginning of summer of 2015 the number of detention of street musicians on behalf of police has increased, they are accused under articles that have been used only against political activists before.

On May 30, Andrei Matveyev was detained in Nikolskaya Street, his musical instruments were illegally withdrawn, later the court imposed a ten thousand roubles fine for him under the article 20.2.1 (participation in unauthorised event). In the beginning of June eight musicians were detained in Arbat under “politcal article”, by the end of the month detentions spread over artists and underaged musicians, moreover, the latter were accused of illegal trade and their musical instruments were withdrawn.

“Mopping up of street musicians nearly destroy the cultural layer of Moscow, bringing down its attraction as a tourist centre. The Moscow authorities must support street musicians, artists and painters and mustn’t destroy the established cultural forms – a mark of a modern European city.

Repressions against the cultural workers is an obvious marker that the country is starting to obtain totalitarian features.

The Moscow branch of YABLOKO demands from the Moscow authrities to immediately stop persecution of musicians, artists, painters working in the steers and develop a programme in support of them

Sergei Mitrokhin
Chair of the regional branch