Press Release, 01.02.2023

Photo: Emilia Slabunova / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

On 2 February, the Petrozavodsk City Court will hold a hearing on the case of an administrative offense allegedly committed by Emilia Slabunova, head of the Yabloko faction in the Legislative Assembly of Karelia and a member of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko.  She is accused of “discrediting the army”. The hearing will start at 10:30.

It should be noted that a protocol on an administrative offense was drawn up against Emilia Slabunova on 29 December, 2022. However, this was reported only on 9 January, the first working day of 2023, when the case was submitted to the Petrozavodsk City Court. It turned out that the basis for the prosecution of the head of the Yabloko faction in the Parliament of Karelia was the denunciation of the deputy from the United Russia party. He regarded Slabunova’s words that taxpayers’ money should not be allotted to financing of “special operations”, but should go to developing of education for taxpayers’ children, as “discrediting the army”.

On 11 January, the Petrozavodsk City Court returned back to the police the case on “discrediting the army” opened against Emilia Slabunova. The court returned the case back to the police referring to Article 29.4 Paragraph 4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (incorrect execution of documents, their preparation by unauthorised persons, or the incompleteness of the submitted materials).

On 19 January, the case was again submitted to the Petrozavodsk City Court. MP Emilia Slabunova, together with her lawyers, is preparing for her defence.

At the same time, it was reported that an administrative protocol on “discrediting the army” was drawn up against Boris Vishnevsky, the deputy head of the Yabloko faction in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg and Deputy Chairman of Yabloko. The reason for the case of an administrative offense against Vishnevsky could be his post on his public Telegram channel about the events in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. Vishnevsky also learned about the case after the January holidays. This case was also returned to the police by the court.

Read more about the persecution of Yabloko members after the start of the “special operation”

EMILIA SLABUNOVA

is member of the Federal Political Committee of the Yabloko party, Chair of Yabloko in 2015-2019.

Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia.

Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Honoured Teacher of Russia