Press Release, 3.09.2021

Photo: Bella Nasibyan / Photo by the Press Service of the Rostov-on-Don branch of Yabloko

The Pervomaisky District Court of Rostov-on-Don imposed five days of administrative arrest for Bella Nasibyan, a Yabloko activist. The reason was the stories on Instagram, with accidental picturing of a sticker of a Alexei Navalny’s Smart Voting project. It should be noted that Yabloko does not support the Smart Voting strategy and considers it harmful, since the three parliamentary parties, whose candidates Smart Voting often offer to support, are no different from the ruling United Russia and they all vote together with United Russia in the State Duma for the most odious bills.

Nasibyan participates in the election campaign of Alexander Ryabchuk, a Yabloko candidate for the State Duma. She shot a story for her Instagram, where she showed the candidate’s campaign poster. A “Smart Voting” sticker hanging next to it accidentally got into the frame. Because of this story, Center E (Centre for Countering Extremism ) initiated an administrative case.

The Yabloko supporter was detained at the exit from the kindergarten, where she took her three-year-old son on 2 September. The security forces took Bella Nasibyan to the police station, where a report was drawn up against her for “publicly displaying the symbols of an extremist organisation”. After that, she was immediately taken to court.

Judge Irina Kovalenko quickly issued a decision on a five days administrative arrest, ignoring the fact that Bella is the mother of a child under 14 years old and, according to the law, cannot be subject to administrative arrest.

The Rostov-on-Don branch of Yabloko considers this decision unlawful, politically motivated and is going to appeal against it.

Today, on 3 September, the Rostov Regional Court will consider an appeal against Bella Nasibyan’s administrative arrest.