Press Release, 6.12.2020

A criminal case under Article 115 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Intentional infliction of minor harm to health”) was opened against Artyom Gelfanov, a member of the Bashkirian branch of Yabloko and an activist of the StopKambarka ecological movement.

According to law enforcement, Artyom Gelfanov “caused harm to the health of the security guard in the Neftekamsk city administration” while trying to enter the city Territorial Electoral Commission, of which he was a member. The Territorial Electoral Commission is located in the administration building. The incident occurred on 27 August, during the election campaign for the election of deputies to the City Council of Neftekamsk.

The regional branch of the Yabloko party notes that Artyom Gelfanov became a victim of a planned provocation by the Neftekamsk administration. A guard of the building grabbed Gelfanov and was unlawfully detaining him when Gelfanov was trying to enter the electoral commission premises and carry out his activities as a member of the Territorial Electoral Commission. Gelfanov, in his turn, took active steps to break out and enter the building.

As a result of the incident, the police were called, both parties to the conflict wrote statements against each other, however, only the statement of the guard of the Neftekamsk administration was noted by the police, and in October 2020 a criminal case was opened against the Yabloko activist.

The Bashkirian branch of Yabloko emphasises that non-admission of representatives of opposition parties, human rights activists and members of environmental movements to the Neftekamsk administration building has become systematic.

It should be noted that the Bashkirian branch of Yabloko, the Communist Party and the public movement in defence of the rights of voters Golos called the elections to the City Council rigged. During the observation of the voting, many violations were revealed. Ilnur Salakhov, Chairman of the Neftekamsk branch fo Yabloko, spoke about the inaction of the Territorial Electoral Commission in response to complaints.