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Public Prosecutor dismisses charges against YABLOKO’s MP in the Tula parliament Vladimir Timakov

Press Release

June 30, 2011

On July 30 Public Prosecutor dismissed his charges against YABLOKO’s MP in the Tula parliament Vladimir Timakov. Public Prosecutor asked to close the case due to for absence of elements of crime in the act after getting the results of a linguistic expertise. This means that the sentence of the court of the first instance recognising Timakov guilty of libel for his criticism of the Governor of the Tula Region will be cancelled.


Over two yeas ago Vyacheslav Dudka, Governor of the Tula Region, started litigation against YABLOKO’s MP in the Tula City Parliament Vladimir Timakov for the criticism of the latter of the Governor’s performance accusing Timakov of libel. In the first civil process the Governor won 1.5 mln roubles of “moral damage” from Timakov and than tried to persecute the MP in the criminal proceedings which could have led to deprivation of Timakov of his deputy’s mandate.


The proceedings took not only over two years of life of Timakov and his family but also considerably hampered with Timakov’s work as he was not allowed to leave the city.


YABLOKO expressed its indignation with persecution for the criticism of state officials which was not only outrageous in itself but also employed considerable forces from the law enforcement and the judicial (three lawyers of the regional administration, investigators, prosecutors, judges and multiple experts) making them to obey to the Governor’s whims rather than fighting real crime.


Commenting of the dismissal of the charges Timakov said, “I do not think that I have wasted the last two years. It was a serious lesson to all of us: politicians, judges, prosecutors, investigators and journalists. A law-governed society can not emerge all of a sudden – a way to it leads via such torturing procedures. The right of the citizens to criticize the officials should not be simply envisaged by the law, it should go into our flesh and blood and become natural for all of us. And this requires examples and important precedents. I hope that our trial will make such an example for the Tula region, and from now on none of the governors will think about persecuting people for criticism of their work.”

See also:

On the court judgment on Vladimir Timakov libel case. Statement by the Chairman of the Tula branch of YABLOKO. November 30, 2010.

YABLOKO conducted a picket in support of deputy of the Tula City Duma. Press Release. September 7, 2010.

Tula City Duma deputy persecuted for his criticism of the Governor’s work. Statement by the Tula branch of YABLOKO. July 15, 2010

Freedom of Speech

Human Rights

 

 

 



Press Release

June 30, 2011