Press Release, 20.02.2024

Photo: Alexander Yefimov / Photo by Yabloko Press Service

Alexander Yefimov is charged with giving an interview to the movement of independent election observers Golos, which authorities consider to be part of the international non-governmental organisation European Network of Election Monitoring Organisations (ENEMO). In 2021, the organisation was declared undesirable in Russia.

On 20 December, 2023, Alexander Yefimov gave an interview to colleagues in the observer community about Yabloko’s position regarding the upcoming presidential elections. On 20 February, he was summoned to the public prosecutor’s office of the city of Volzhsky, the Volgograd region, where an administrative protocol of a violation was drawn up against him under Article 20.33 Code of Administrative Offences (“participation in the activities of an undesirable organisation”).

Alexander Yefimov notes that the protocol of an administrative violation is absurd, since there is no court decision recognising Golos as a structural unit of ENEMO. However, there are several court decisions regarding individual representatives of Golos recognising them as participants in the activities of an “undesirable organisation”.

“We are used to the situation when police makes up cases against us, but before the plot of the accusation claimed to be plausible at least conditionally. Today anyone can be accused of anything. Participation in the Kennedy assassination? Yes, easily. The highest level of absurdity is welcomed by police bosses. “We can do whatever we want to you.” The goal is to intimidate, force out of the country or silence political opponents,” Alexander Yefimov comments.

Punishment under Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for citizens envisages a fine of 5,000 to 15,000 roubles. However, a second episode of “participation in the activities of an undesirable organisation” is punishable by a fine of up to 500,000 roubles or imprisonment from one to four years.

In March 2023, Alexander Yefimov was found guilty of “discrediting the army” for publishing a UN report on casualties in Ukraine. In November 2024, his page on Vkontakte social media was blocked by decision of the Public Prosecutor General’s Office.

In the Volgograd region Alexander Yefimov publicly criticizes the renaming of Volgograd to Stalingrad (a name the city was given during Joseph Stalin’s period). Meanwhile, regional and city officials have been promoting the idea of ​​renaming the city for several years and conducting surveys of residents who allegedly demonstrated their consent of the residents to return to the city the name of Stalin. Russian presidential candidate from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Nikolai Kharitonov also speaks in favour or naming the city after the tyrant.

The Yabloko party calls to stop the re-Stalinisation sweeping the country, stop rewriting history.

Read more about the persecution of Yabloko members after the start of the “special military operation” here.