Press Release, 19.02.2021

Photo: Nizhny Novgorod Yabloko

The Nizhny Novgorod branch of Yabloko applied to the Operational Headquarters for the implementation of measures to prevent and control the spread of coronavirus infection in Nizhny Novgorod asking to adopt a decision on holding the March in Memory of Boris Nemtsov in Nizhny Novgorod. Opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was the first Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region in 1991 – 1997.

The event is scheduled for 27 February at 14:00. The gathering of participants will take place at the Oktyabr cinema, after which the participants will go to the drama theatre to lay flowers at the temporary memorial to Boris Nemtsov.

“This year, due to the ban on holding mass events, established by the Governor, it is impossible to agree on either a procession or a rally. But the decree [of the Governor] contains an exception for commemorative events. The decision to hold the event should be made by the operational headquarters, which is headed by Yuri Shalabayev, head of Nizhny Novgorod, it is very difficult to imagine what they will come up with this time to prevent the March in Memory of Boris Nemtsov, if they do this, it will, in fact, mean a ban on the memory of a person,” Oleg Rodin, Chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of Yabloko, said.

“I call on the Governor and the heads of the law enforcement agencies to be prudent and let people calmly honour the memory of Boris Nemtsov, the first Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region,” the Chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of Yabloko added.

It should be noted that last year the Nizhniy Novgorod branch of Yabloko managed to get the approval of a rally in memory of Boris Nemtsov. Since 2018, the Nizhny Novgorod authorities have refused to permit the actions.