Statement by the YABLOKO party, 26.11.2014

The decision to liquidate the Environmental Watch on North Caucasus that has been taken by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Adygei is the revenge for the successful long-term activity of the organisation.

The Environmental Watch on North Caucasus, nature conservation human rights public organisation, was founded in 1997 and had been the most active civil organisation protecting the environment of the North Caucasus from the lawlessness of the officials. The Environmental Watch on North Caucasus is headed by Andrei Rudomakha, Suren Gazaryan, Evgeny Vitishko, Dmitry Shevchenko who are the active opponents of the governor of the Krasnodar Territory Alexandr Tkachev and have been persecuted by the authorities for their civil and political position.

Earlier, Suren Gazaryan and Dmitry Shevchenko prepared a report on the environmental damage done to the region by the Sochi Olympics which, of course, caused discontent on behalf of governor Tkachev. Before the authorities used to do away with the NGO’s leaders one by one – Evgeny Vitishko is in prison, criminal cases were opened against Suren Gazaryan and Andrei Rudomakha, and now the authorities moved to another level and decided to liquidate the whole organisation at once.

The court session had taken place with mass violations, the defendant hadn’t been even informed about the court process.

The formal reason for liquidation of the organisation is technical violations which could be easily eliminated. The representatives of the authorities named the financing of the Environmental Watch on North Caucasus from abroad as one of the real claims. We propose the authorities to finance the organisation from the federal budget since its activity is important and effective and environmental protection is the major activity for the North Caucasus.

The Environmental Watch on North Caucasus appealed against the decision in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The YABLOKO party calls the Supreme Court to impartially consider the case and abolish an unconstitutional, politically motivated decision of the Adygei court to prohibit the organisation.

Sergei Mitrokhin
YABLOKO Chairperson