Press Release, 20.09.2023

Photo: Police officers blocking the car of Yabloko candidates on 9 September, 2023 / Photo by Ksenia Cherepanova

Yabloko’s politicians were accused of allegedly planning to enter the premises of the precinct electoral commission at school No. 31 on the night of 9-10 September. That night, Anna Cherepanova, Ksenia Cherepanova, and Viktor Shalyakin were blocked in a car near the polling station. All the three candidates, without leaving the car, showed their documents to a policeman. The policeman asked Anna Cherepanova to get out of the car, but she refused. No demands were made against Ksenia Cherepanova and Viktor Shalyakin.

All three politicians were taken to the police station and administrative protocols were drawn up against them under Article 19.3 Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation for allegedly disobedience to a lawful  order by a police officer. On 19 September, the Novgorod District Court fined Anna Cherepanova, Ksenia Cherepanova, and Viktor Shalyakin.

The politicians intend to appeal the court’s decisions.

It should be noted that the Novgorod branch of Yabloko nominated both candidates in single-mandate constituencies and as part of the list Yabloko candidates in the elections to the City Duma of Veliky Novgorod. The leaders of the Yabloko election campaign had to face force and administrative pressure. Despite this, the Yabloko list received 7.37% of voter support in the elections to the City Duma of Veliky Novgorod, gaining more than 2,600 votes. Thus, Yabloko will continue working in the City Duma in the next convocation. Anna Cherepanova, the leader of the Novgorod branch of the Yabloko party, a fifth-generation Novgorod resident, and a Candidate of Economic Sciences, will go on defending the interests of the residents of Novgorod.