Press Release, 26.11.2022

Photo: Anatoly Nogovitsyn, Chairman of the Yabloko branch in Yakutia / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

On 8 December, the Yakutsk City Court will start considering a criminal case against Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the leader of the Yabloko branch in Yakutia, who is accused of “discrediting the army” (Article 280.3 Part 1 of the Criminal Code).

The criminal case against Nogovitsyn was initiated in September of this year after he published a video message to the residents of Yakutia in his Telegram channel. In his video Nogovitsyn voiced his opinion about “partial mobilisation” and a special operation.

As a preventive measure, the court chose a ban on certain actions for Nogovitsyn: the leader of the regional branch of Yabloko was prohibited to use means of communication and could leave the house only at time intervals allowed by court. On 22 November, the appointed term of the ban expired, and the court did not extend it.

By appointment of the investigation, Anatoly Nogovitsyn underwent a psychiatric examination on 14 October. Forensic experts from the Yakutia Psychoneurological Dispensary confirmed that the politician was healthy and did not need compulsory treatment, but distorted his words about the goals of the Yabloko’s work, attributing to Yabloko a desire to seize power in the state. Nogovitsyn also noted that the doctors repeated the questions of the investigation and tried to provoke him into statements that could be used against him in court.

It is not yet known what punishment the Public Prosecutor’s Office will require for Nogovitsyn in court. Article 280.3 Part 1 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine (up to 300,000 roubles), or forced labour (up to three years), or an arrest (up to six months), or imprisonment (up to three years) with deprivation of the right to hold certain posts or engage in certain activities for the same period.

The first hearing of the court in the case of Anatoly Nogovitsyn will be held on 8 December at 9:15 a.m. (local time) in the Yakutsk City Court. The court session will be open for public.

Anatoly Nogovitsyn is one of four Yabloko members who have become defendants in criminal cases for criticising the “special operation.” In May of this year, a criminal case under the same article of “discrediting the army” (Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code) was initiated against the leader of the Kamchatka branch of Yabloko Vladimir Yefimov. Since April, Mikhail Afanasyev, a member of the Yabloko party from Abakan, Khakassia, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Novy Focus media, has been held in the pre-trial detention centre, he is accused of spreading fake news about the army (Article 270.3 Part 2 of the Criminal Code). In October of this year, a criminal case was initiated against builder Alexander Grigoriev, a Yabloko party member in Lipetsk, under the article on “fakes about the use of the armed forces” (Article 270.3 Part 1 of the Criminal Code),

The Yabloko party considers the persecution of its activists to be political, and the new articles of the Criminal Code punishing any criticism of hostilities as repressive and unlawful.