| The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO considers
Sergei Makhnatkin (Ed. A passer-by arrested during breaking
of a peaceful protest action in the centre of Moscow on December
31, 2010, who tried to protect a woman from violence by the
police and sentenced to two years of imprisonment under a
pretext of using violence against police) unfairly and unjustly
convicted.
Police officers have been systematically demonstrating their
extremely low qualification in dealing with unauthorized peaceful
public actions, their inability to solve tasks without violence
bordering on cruelty against women, elderly citizens and passers-by.
Detentions of citizens with violation of the law have turned
into regular practices.
In such a situation the testimony of police officers can
not serve as sufficient grounds for an objective verdict.
The fact that neither the court of the first instance, nor
the Moscow City Court pay attention to these circumstances,
as well as the testimony of witnesses who had seen policemen
beating Sergei Makhnatkin, which proves that the sentence
has been politically motivated. The sentience is targeted
at intimidation of all who dare to come into conflict with
the authorities performing lawlessness.
The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO calls the judiciary
to review the verdict taking into account all the circumstances
of the events of December 31, 2009.
We are also reminding to the authorities that they should
not provoke a confrontation making unjustified and even silly
bans on conducting civil actions.
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party
See also:
Human
Rights
| 