Press Release, 30.04.2026

Photo: Grigory Gribenko leaving the courthouse on 23 April 2026 / Photo by Yabloko activist Pavel Kharitonenko

Lawyer Svyatoslav Khromenkov, representing Сhairman of the Irkutsk branch of Yabloko Grigory Gribenko who tried to organise a rally for free Internet and against blocking of Telegram, has filed an appeal against the politician’s arrest with the Shelekhovsky City Court of Irkutsk Regoin. It should be noted that Gribenko was detained at his flat following an “inspection” of the premises and taken to a police station, where officers spent the entire day conducting an “interview” with him and insisting that he undergo a medical examination for drug intoxication. Gribenko refused, fearing that the test results would be falsified, and the following day was arrested for twelve days under Article 6.9 of the Code of Administrative Offences for that refusal.

In the appeal against his client’s arrest, lawyer Svyatoslav Khromenkov argues that twelve days is an excessive and unjustified punishment for refusing to undergo the examination: “At the court hearing, Grigory Gribenko stated directly that the police officers had no grounds for referring him for a medical examination, that he does not use drugs or alcohol, and that he regards his detention as politically motivated”.

The defence lawyer further emphasises in the appeal that the court of first instance offered no assessment whatsoever of the lawfulness of the officers’ actions.

It should be noted that one medical examination purportedly concerning Gribenko’s use of prohibited substances had already been falsified. Several days before his arrest, traffic police officers in Irkutsk mounted a raid on the politician, who was taken to the city’s drug treatment clinic, where he submitted samples for drug testing. Fearing that the results would be falsified at a state-run facility, Gribenko had the tests repeated at an independent laboratory, which, as expected, found no prohibited substances. Two days later, the state drug treatment clinic “discovered” traces of marijuana in Gribenko’s samples. The results from both the independent clinic and the state facility have been published here.

Grigory Gribenko has repeatedly stated that the traffic police raid, the subsequent examination, and the “results” obtained at the state drug treatment clinic constitute “a special operation organised by the FSB in retaliation for his attempt to hold a rally against Internet blocking and against the blocking of Telegram in Irkutsk in particular.” According to city administration assessment, up to 70,000 people could have attended the event. Gribenko is currently pursuing legal action against the Irkutsk Mayor’s Office over its unlawful refusal to permit the rally.

Yabloko is demanding that the persecution of Grigory Gribenko and other party activists defending citizens’ right to freedom of information be brought to an end.