Press Release, 25.11.2025

Photo: Konstantin Smirnov / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

On 25 November, Sovetsky District Court in Ryazan once again extended the preventive measure for Konstantin Smirnov, leader of the Ryazan branch of Yabloko and journalist. He is accused of “extortion”, but is in fact being persecuted for political reasons for fighting municipal reform (which is actually reduced to enlargement of municipal districts and, thus, liquidation of many of the municipal councils of the settlements subject of the reform), criticising the regional authorities and publishing anti-corruption investigations. Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov came to court on 25 November to support his friend and colleague. On the eve of the hearing, Eva Merkacheva, member of the Presidential Council for Human Rights, sent an appeal to the court requesting that Smirnov’s preventive measure be changed.

It should be noted that Konstantin Smirnov, Ryazan Yabloko Chairman, former deputy of Dubrovitsy rural settlement, and founder and editor-in-chief of the internet media Vidsboku, was arrested on extortion charges in January 2025. For two months before his arrest, he told regional residents about the upcoming reform to liquidate rural settlements and their municipal councils, participated in public hearings on settlement mergers and covered the scandal-plagued hearings in media and online. Yabloko insists that his political, social and journalistic activities became the reason for unlawful criminal prosecution.

From January to November 2025, Sovetsky Distrcit Court of Ryazan has repeatedly extended Smirnov’s preventive measure in the form of detention in a remand prison. However, no convincing arguments have appeared over these ten months, that the Ryazan Yabloko leader was facing credible charges or that there were strong grounds to hold him in custody.

During this time, appeals requesting that Konstantin Smirnov’s preventive measure be changed were sent to court by Ryazan public figures, more than 20 journalists, as well as Yabloko Сhairman Nikolai Rybakov, Yabloko Federal Political Committee Сhairman Grigory Yavlinsky, and party leaders and deputies from different regions of Russia.

On 24 November, Eva Merkacheva, member of the Presidential Council for Human Rights, sent an appeal to Sovetsky District Court of Ryazan:

“A preventive measure in the form of detention against a journalist who is not accused of a violent crime seems excessively harsh and excessive. I am prepared to vouch that he will not abscond and will not violate restrictions.”

On 25 November, Nikolai Rybakov came to Ryazan again; other Yabloko supporters and friends of the accused came together with Rybakov to the court to support Konstantin Smirnov. There is not a single reason to believe that the investigation is credible and ready to present at least some arguments in favour of Smirnov’s guilt, Nikolai Rybakov emphasises:

“For ten months our friend and colleague has been in a remand prison on fabricated charge, in reality – for having the courage to oppose municipal reform, which will inevitably lead to the extinction of small towns and villages. To this day, the investigation has not presented any evidence of his guilt. Therefore, we regard Smirnov’s deprivation of liberty exclusively as pressure on him with the aim of forcing him to incriminate himself and admit guilt.”

During the court hearing, Nikolai Rybakov delivered a character reference for Smirnov. He said he has known Konstantin since 1999. To date, the Yabloko leader noted, Smirnov has already formed colossal experience in social and journalistic work, whilst the media outlet he created is one of the most cited in the region. Konstantin Smirnov is an intelligent and calm person, always acting within the law, Rybakov emphasised and asked the court to impose on Smirnov a preventive measure not involving deprivation of liberty. Smirnov’s defence – lawyer Andrei Kuryatnikov – insisted on the same.

Konstantin Smirnov himself, having previously indicated investigative errors more than once, on 25 November once again drew attention to the incompetence of law enforcement:

“All the investigation’s arguments are unsound and were refuted elementarily right there. After the investigator became completely confused in testimony, he was removed. A new investigator was appointed, and, to be on the safe side, he decided not to say anything at all. What should I comment on? Do I agree that the court’s decision to detain me can be made without arguments? Of course, not.”

The judge, however, again agreed with the investigative bodies and once again extended the term of arrest for Konstantin Smirnov – until 30 January 2026. On this day it will be exactly one year since deprivation of liberty of the Ryazan Yabloko leader.