Tuapse. On March 14 Suren Gazaryan, environmentalist and
YABLOKO member, and Viktor Dutlov, lawyer, YABLOKO member
and activist of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch, detained
by the country cottage of Governor of the Krasnodar Territory
Tkachyov a day earlier, got ten days of administrative arrest
for non-obeying to the lawful orders of police. The judge
refused to call the witnesses of the defence, as well as to
consider audio and video recordings proving innocence of Gazaryan
and Dutlov.
On March 13 Gazaryan and his attorney Dutlov approached the
Governors cottage so that to inspect the damages (graffiti)
they had allegedly made to the fence. Such inspection was
required for their defence in court (as they were accused
in damaging the fence) and was sanctioned by the investigator.
When activists approached the fence, the guards came out and
put handcuffs on the activists. Gazaryan was beaten by one
of the guards.
On November 13, 2011, environmentalists conducted public
inspection of the forest bordering on the plot of land given
to Governor Tkachyov on lease. The inspection showed that
the relict pines were cut for illegal building of the Governors
cottage, as well as fenced a part of a public beach with a
concrete wall. Also the plot of land still belongs to the
state forestry fund and any construction works there, fencing
and cutting of trees are illegal.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin said that arrest of Gazaryan
and Duglov was manifestation of arbitrary rule adding that
this may indicate beginning of reprisals against civil activists.
The verdict against Gazaryan and Duglov is quite symbolic
in the context of re-appointment of [Governor] Tkachyov. YABLOKO
regards this as toughening of the police regime during another
presidential term of Vladimir Putin.
The activists of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch say
that the case has been completely framed up and do not doubt
that the judges verdict was biased.
Judge Bondaryev rejected ten motions made by Gazaryan: on
hearing of the witnesses and examining the video of robbery
Gazaryan had to encounter. The prosecution based on a framed
up police protocol stating that Gazaryan and Dutlov were
running away from the police when asked to produce their
IDs. The judge neglected the audio record made by Dutlov during
the detention. However, the recording showed that there had
been no problems with the police.
See also:
Protection
of Environment
Charges
brought against Eugeny Vitishko, YABLOKO candidate to the
State Duma
YABLOKO
campaign unfairly targeted
Yabloko
demands investigation of unlawful detention of its activists
Press
conference Black Sea Palaces and Their Hosts
Are
Prisoners of Conscience Only in Moscow?
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