Press Release, 15.05.2024

On 14 May, on the second anniversary of the death of Andrei Babushkin, an event in memory of the human rights defender, Yabloko member since 1999, Chairman of the public human rights charity organisation Committee for Civil Rights and a member of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights under the President of the RF, was held at Yabloko. Colleagues in human rights activities, friends and party members shared their memories of Andrei Babushkin.

Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov noted that Yabloko has always been proud that its team had a person who gave all of himself and his whole life to people.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov

“If there was some kind of coordinate system of humanity, then Andrei would probably be at the unattainable peak of this system. There are those in our hall today who, I think, are at the same height – and Svetlana Alekseyevna Gannushkina among them. But most of us are certainly not there. One can only strive for this,” Nikolai Rybakov said.

The following speakers shared their memories and thoughts of Andrei Babushkin at the commemorative event:

Vladimir Lukin, co-founder of Yabloko, Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation from 2004 to 2014

Mikhail Fedotov, former Chairman of the Human Rights Council

Svetlana Gannushkina, Chairman of the Civic Assistance Committee and member of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko

Valery Borshchyov, Co-Chairman of the Yabloko Human Rights Faction, Co-Chairman of the Moscow Helsinki Group, co-author of the law on public control in detention facilities

Eva Merkacheva, human rights defender, journalist and member of the Human Rights Council

Valentin Gefter, Director of the Institute of Human Rights, member of the Expert Council under the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation

Sergei Mitrokhin, member of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko and deputy of the Moscow City Duma

Alexander Yefimov, member of the Yabloko Federal Bureau

Kirill Yankov, member of the Yabloko Party Arbitration

Vyacheslav Igrunov, co-founder of Yabloko, who in 1999 invited Andrei Babushkin to join the party

Boris Altshuler, Soviet and Russian physicist and human rights defender

Photo: Vladimir Lukin

The book “Andrei Babushkin: Human Rights Defender, Politician and Poet” was launched at the event. The book is prepared by the Centre for Assistance to Criminal Justice Reform, Andrei Babushkin’s colleagues and friends. The book was presented by Natalia Dzyadko, Director of the Centre, and Fyodor Rendnitsky, Babushkin’s former assistant in the Committee for Civil Rights and compiler of the book of memory. The book can be downloaded from the link.

Photo: Mikhail Fedotov

Andrei Babushkin’s colleagues, together with the Centre for Assistance to Criminal Justice Reform, are raising funds among Russian citizens to print a new edition of the book.

Photo: Svetlana Gannushkina

In addition to printing out a copy, one can also the book at the Yabloko central office in Moscow or at the office of the Centre by calling tel.: +7 905 782 8658 or +7 977 751 3722.

Photo: Natalia Dzyadko

Photo: Fyodor Rendnitsky