Press Release, 21.02.2024

Photo: Alexander Shishlov / Photo by the Press Service of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg

At the traditional briefing of faction leaders, which is held after each meeting of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, the head of the Yabloko faction, Alexander Shishlov, spoke not about the agenda of the meeting, but about the main thing: the need for a ceasefire and the start of peace negotiations, and expressed condolences, on behalf of the Yabloko faction, to the relatives of Alexei Navalny. The Press Service of the Legislative Assembly said that they would not distribute his speech, so we are publishing the full text here.

Today is 21 February, and on 24 February it will be two years since the start of the special military operation. Therefore, I will not talk about the issues on the agenda of the meeting, but about the main thing that determines our lives today.

The Yabloko party has always opposed the military method of resolving interstate contradictions, chosen by Russia on 24 February, 2022, in favour of a ceasefire and the start of negotiations. Today, increasingly more people have been supporting this position; it is becoming inevitable.

People want peace and justice. The path to justice and to building a new European security architecture will be complicated and long. But every day of continuing hostilities only increases this path, multiplies casualties and destruction, and ultimately deprives both our country and Ukraine of the future.

The Yabloko party Congress, held in December, adopted an appeal to the presidents of Russia and Ukraine demanding that they conclude a ceasefire agreement and begin negotiations on a future peace. Today I am talking about this again.

And one more event that I would like to speak today is the death of Alexei Navalny. The Yabloko faction expresses condolences to the relatives of Alexei Navalny. His death must be thoroughly investigated, as should his poisoning in 2020. Society must know all those responsible for his death.

His death occurred in a penal colony under conditions that were essentially torture.

The tragedy that happened once again showed that Russia needs peace, it needs a radical reform of the entire law enforcement and judicial system, and the humanisation of the Federal Penitentiary Service system.

Politically motivated sentencing must be stopped.

The Yabloko party demands an immediate end to the persecution of dissidents and the release of all those convicted for criticising the government, especially those whose lives are at risk for their health reasons – Vladimir Kara-Murza, Alexei Gorinov, Sasha Skochilenko and others.

There is nothing more valuable than human life.

Russia needs peace!

ALEXANDER SHISHLOV

is head of the Yabloko faction in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, Coordinator of the Federal Political Committee of the Yabloko party, and Chairman of the Yabloko branch in St.Petersburg