Press releases and Publications

YABLOKO leader proposed a strategy for the opposition at the rally in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow

Press Release, May 6, 2013

Speaking at a mass rally in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow, YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin urged democratically minded people to go to polling stations and make the elections honest, rather than ask the authorities for fair and honest elections.

"There is nothing to discuss with these authorities, they resist a dialogue, it is absolutely hopeless to ask something from the authorities, to demand something from them, it is even pointless to scold or criticize them. The only thing that makes sense is to change the government. It's time to change the power and take it into our hands," said Sergei Mitrokhin...

...According to Mitrokhin, a single from the opposition in the gubernatorial elections in the Moscow Region should be Gennady Gudkov [ousted from the Duma and the Just Russia party for his oppositional views].

Mitrokhin also said that a single list of candidates from the opposition should be nominated for the Moscow City Duma elections as well...

YABLOKO nominated 1550 candidates to Saint Petersburg electoral commissions

Press Release, April 11, 2013

The St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO nominated 1550 candidates to the electoral commissions in all the districts of the city. The registration of documents in the electoral commissions is ending today.
“All of our candidates are well educated and active citizens and their main goal is to ensure compliance with the law at their electoral districts. Unfortunately YABLOKO’s representatives were not welcome at all the territorial electoral commissions” said Olga Pokrovskaya, member of the city electoral commission.

In particular, one of the territorial electoral commissions demanded statements of income from YABLOKO’s candidates (which is not envisaged by the law), another commission demanded that the copies of the work record books should be changed as allegedly they had not been properly notorised...

YABLOKO files a lawsuit against the electoral commission members and the policeman who beat woman observer

Press Release, March 26, 2013

The YABLOKO party is filing a lawsuit against the electoral commission members and the policeman who beat woman observer in an attempt to snatch a falsified final protocol of the voting given to her. The incident occurred late last night at polling station No 02-13 after the counting of votes in the mayoral election of Anapa. Alexandra Garkusha, aged 23, an observer from the YABLOKO party, together with representatives from other parties and candidates was given a falsified final protocol of the voting by the commission members. The document had no legal force and could not form a basis for filing a case in court.

Alexandra Garkusha drew the attention of the Commission to this fact and refused to sign for the receipt of such a protocol. After that, the commission members expressed their dissatisfaction in extremely disproportionate aggression and attacked Alexandra trying to snatch the protocol from her hands. According to the witnesses, Irina Tropina, Chair of the Electoral Commission, was the most aggressive attacker encouraging her subordinates to more violence...

Mayoral elections in Anapa: YABLOKO leader demands from head of the Central Electoral Commission to cancel the results of the elections

Press Release, March 26, 2013

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin demanded from Vladimir Churov, head of the Central Election Commission, to cancel the results of the mayoral elections in Anapa, the Krasnodar Territory, held on Sunday. The number of cases of stuffing of fraudulent ballots does not allow a genuine expression of voters’ will to be determined. Information about all the facts of fraud was also sent to the Central Electoral Commission...

Gross violations began already on Friday, when road police detained a coach that had to transport YABLOKO and independent observers from Taganrog to Anapa...

However, on the voting day about 20 cars with about a hundred of YABLOKO’s observers could not get to the polling stations by their opening time 8 a.m., due to blocking of the road by the police and a staged “car accident” on the road Sukko-Anapa...

“All this was done so that our observers could not get to the polling station to their opening and so that to do unhampered stuffing of ballots in favour of Sergei Sergeyev, United Russia candidate and ex police head whom Governor Tkachyov wanted to see as Anapa Mayor,” said Sergei Mitrokhin who also visited the “accident site”.

Voting demonstrated different violations – from stuffing of ballots to ousting of observers from polling stations, ban on filming, as well as threats and physical violence against observers.

See the video of violence against a woman observer Alexandra Gorkusha...

An attack was undertaken against Sergei Mitrokhin. An unidentified person sprayed some green liquid in the face of YABLOKO’s leader at one of the polling stations. The liquid got onto his neck and arms. An emergency doctor wiped the paint from the skin, but advised Sergei Mitrokhin to go to hospital for further observation, since "anything could have been mixed into the liquid"...

YABLOKO’s candidate to run for the post of the head of Chudovo, the Novgorod Region

Press Release, January 22, 2013.

A conference of the Novgorod regional branch of the YABLOKO party took place on January 21. Members of the party discussed nomination of a candidate from YABLOKO for the post of the head of the city of Chudovo, Novgorod region. According to the results of the secret ballot, the conference unanimously supported the nomination of Yelena Skorodumova.

To date, YABLOKO’s candidate has been registered in the Territorial Electoral Commission of Chudovo and has begun preparations for the election campaign. Skorodumova’s competitors in the elections will be United Russia’s Andrei Alexandrov, Communist Igor Kovalyov and LDPR member Alexei Maximov...

YABLOKO’s candidate for the post of the head of the Krymsk District in the South Russia is removed from elections due to a provocation from the authorities

Press Release, December 4, 2012.

YABLOKO’s candidate for the post of the head of the Krymsk District in the South Russia, removed from elections due to a sly provocation from the authorities
A few days ago the Krymsk District Court imposed a fine amounting to RUR 2,000 on a Mr.Petrenko, who pretended to campaign for Yugeny Vitishko distributing food-stuff allegedly on behalf of Vitishko. Vitishko did not know the campaigner and therefore did not interfere into the trial or challenge the court’s decision.
However, due to this decision, the Court was able to remove Vitishko from the elections because bribing of voters was allegedly conducted on behalf of Vitishko. This decision was made by Judge Galina Yurchevskaya on December 4...

YABLOKO faction formed in the Municipal Council of the Presnensky district, Moscow

Press Release, November 27, 2012.

The YABLOKO faction has been formed in the Municipal Council of the Presnensky district, Moscow. It consists of three municipal deputies: Ekaterina Kalatskaya, Sergei Bocharov and Yuri Novikov.

Despite the fact that municipal deputies decided to create a faction immediately after the elections in March 2012, they have managed to implement this only now. Normally formation of a faction does not require a decision from a municipal council, however, YABLOKO’s deputies had to face resistance from the chairman and some deputies of the Council...

The authorities want to put YABLOKO’s candidate to the Mayor of Krymsk into prison

Press Release, November 23, 2012.

Yugeny Vitishko, a renowned environmentalist and civil rights activist, member of the Regional Council of the Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO and member of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch, is running for the post of head of the Krymsk District in South Russia (the district which suffered from a large flood this summer) from the YABLOKO party. The elections will be held on December 9.
This summer, Vitishko was sentenced due to fraudulent evidence to three years probation for the "damage to the fence" around the Governor Tkachyov’s cottage. The lands under the cottage and the fensed beach nearby still registered as public are virtually in the Governor’s property. Now new charges are invented so that to withdraw a strong candidate from the election campaign. The authorities threaten to replace a suspended sentence by a real imprisonment...

YABLOKO Bureau expels Chair of the Bryansk branch of YABLOKO who supported Governor Denin during elections

Press Release, October 28, 2012.

The Federal Bureau of the YABLOKO party expelled from the party Andrei Ponomaryov, Chair of the Bryansk branch of YABLOKO, and three members of the Regional Council of the Bryansk branch of YABLOKO. The Ponomaryov’s decision to withdraw his candidacy from the gubernatorial elections and support the incumbent Governor Nikolai Denin was recognized as inflicting political damage to the party.

Despite of the decision of the governing bodies of the arty, Andrei Ponomaryov withdrew from the election race for the post of Governor of the Bryansk Region and supported acting Governor Nikolai Denin, candidate from the ruling "United Russia" party...

YABLOKO leader visited Krasnoyarsk

Press Release, October 19, 2012.

Oksana Demchenko, ex-deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Region, was elected new chair of the Krasnoyarsk branch of YABLOKO. The conference of the regional branch of the party took place on October 21. The conference also elected members of the Regional Council and a representatives of the regional organization in YABLOKO’s Federal Council.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the conference. He set the following for the delegates: to participate and win in the elections. The next election – to the Krasnoyarsk City Council - will be held in September 2013.

After the conference, Mitrokhin held a roundtable with Krasnoyarsk entrepreneurs and discussed the prospects of development of small businesses in the Krasnoyarsk region and in Russia in general.

This morning Mitrokhin met with Sergei Ponomarenko, First Vice-Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. They specifically discussed the upcoming elections. Deputy Governor expressed his hope that the YABLOKO party will be able to create a faction in the City Council of Krasnoyarsk then...

YABLOKO’s Olga Vlasova made a report in the Federation Council on violations in the recent regional elections

Press Release, October 22, 2012.

Olga Vlasova, member of YABLOKO Bureau, made report in the Federation Council on mass-scale violations in the recent regional and municipal election campaign.

The report was made within the framework of a round table discussion on "The Results of the Elections in the Russian Federation as the Prospect for Improving the Electoral Law" which took place on October 18. The meeting was attended by members of the State Duma, the Federation Council, representatives of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court, the Public Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, representatives of the Russian Central Electoral Commission and electoral commissions of the regions.

In her speech Olga Vlasova focused on the following three main points:

1. Mass-scale violations in all the Russian regions where elections were held. YABLOKO observers documented widespread ballot stuffing, "carousel" votings, illegal refusals to allow observers to the polling stations and use of administrative resources. On voting day, regional electoral commissions turned into battle fields for upholding the rights of observers to be at the polling stations. In one of the polling stations in Tula YABLOKO observer was broken a finger...

YABLOKO demonstrates success in small cities: YABLOKO factions will appear in Yaroslavl, Pervouralsk, Berezovsky and Elektrogorsk

Press Release, October 15, 2012.

According to the results of voting on October 14, YABLOKO factions will appear in four Russian cities: Yaroslavl, Pervouralsk, Berezovsky in the Sverdlovsk region and Elektrogorsk in the Moscow region.

The best result YABLOKO obtained in Pervouralsk - 20.4 per cent. YABLOKO came second here after the ruling United Russia with 37 per cent. Konstantin Drigin topping YABLOKO’s will also get a mandate. Drigin with 35 per cent of the vote won over Valery Treskin, the ruling party’s candidate, who got 25 per cent of the vote.

In Yaroslavl, the party has overcome the 5 per cent threashold. The candidates running in single mandate electoral districts failed to deputies of the Yaroslavl City Council, however Galina Sokolova came second in her district with almost 26 per cent of the vote, and another eight candidates came third in their districts getting from 7 to 19 per cent of the vote.

In the Berezovsky city, the Sverdlovsk region, 6.6 per cent of the electorate voted for YABLOKO, and now the party will have the right to form a faction in the Council of Deputies.

In Elektrogorsk, the Moscow region, YABLOKO’s candidates got 9.2 per cent which also means that YABLOKO can form a faction in the municipal assembly in the city...

YABLOKO came second with 21 per cent of the votes in Pervouralsk

Press Release, October 15, 2012.

According to the preliminary data, YABLOKO’s list candidates in the elections to the City Duma of Pervouralsk, the Sverdlovsk Region, received 21 per cent of the vote and thus came second after the ruling United Russia party (37 per cent).

YABLOKO’s observers reported to YABLOKO’s call centre the results from 58 of the 79 district electoral commissions of Pervouralsk. Just Russia came third with 14.6 per cent of the vote, and the Communist Party came fourth with 11.7 per cent. Also the Patriots of Russia (9 per cent) and the LDPR (5.7 per cent) overcome the 5 percent threashold. The list of RPR-PARNAS was supported by 0.8 per cent of the voters. It should be noted that the local branch of RPR-PARNAS had applied to court so that to withdraw YABLOKO from the election.

Thus, the YABLOKO party is to get three of the fourteen mandates distributed among the party lists.

In addition, two YABLOKO’s candidates in the binominal precincts – Konstantin Drygin and Vitaly Listratkin - have very good chances to get their mandates. Drygin confidently wins in his precinct...

YABLOKO leader sends a complaint on violations in regional and municipal elections to the Central Electoral Commission and Public Prosecutor General

Press Release, October 14, 2012.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin has sent the first complaint on violations in regional and municipal elections to Vladimir Churov, Chair of the Central Electoral Commission, and Yury Chaika, Public Prosecutor General, demanding to examine the violations identified by observers and candidates of the YABLOKO during elections in 11 subjects of the Russian Federation and punish the vote riggers.

The complaint contains information about the most serious violations in 28 polling stations, such as ballot stuffing, "carousel" voting, withdrawing of observers from the polling stations, buying of votes, etc.

The complaint refers to violations in regional elections in the Krasnodar Territory and municipal elections in the Maritime Altai territories, Bryansk, Ryazan, Irkutsk, Saratov, Tula, Moscow and Yaroslavl regions.

In addition, the document runs that observers from “non-administrative” candidates and parties were not let to over half of the polling stations in Tatarstan under a pretext that their papers lacked some stamps...

Stuffing of ballots in favour of the ruling party in the Krasnodar Territory

Press Release and a Video, October 14, 2012.

YABLOKO’s candidates and observes report multiple violations at the elections to the Krasnodar Territory Legislative Assembly.

YABLOKO observer filmed Yelena Sluchevskaya, Chair of Electoral Commission No 4822 (Novopekhovskoye village), stuffing of packages of ballots. The 18 minute video demonstrates several episodes of ballot stuffing...

Also stuffing of ballots was recorded at polling stations No 2230, 2231, and 2228 in Krasnodar. In Ust-Labinsk Chair of the Electoral Commission stuffed the rigged ballots at polling station No 5603. YABLOKO’s commission member was ousted from the room under some pretext...

Dmitry Gutov, YABLOKO’s observer at polling station No 2054, was beaten when he attempted to photograph the participants of a “carousel” who arrived to the polling station by car (No AOBO62, 23). Dmitry was threatened with murder and the attackers snatched his press card.

Also “carousel voting” was reported at polling stations No 2047, 2055,2056, 2215, 2216 and 2213...

Ballot-riggers broke a finger to the electoral commission member who tried to prevented stuffing of fraudulent ballots

Press Release, October 14, 2012.

Ballot-riggers broke a finger to Ludmila Yegorova, electoral commission member with an advisory vote from the YABLOKO party, who prevented ballot stuffing in the election to the City Duma of Bogoroditsk, the Tula region.

About an hour ago, two young men tried to stuff a package of ballots to the polling box. Ludmila Yegorova, YABLOKO’s representative in the electoral commission, managed to prevent it. There turned out to be 80 fraudulent ballots in the package: 40 marked for the ruling United Russia and 40 for candidate Fyodorov...

YABLOKO in the regional and municipal elections on October 14, 2012

Press Release, October 12, 2012.

Regional and municipal elections will take place in Russia on October 14, 2012. The YABLOKO party nominated its candidates for the elections in 22 Russian regions.

In the Krasnodar Territory, the list of candidates to run at elections to the Legislative Assembly represents a coalition of opposition forces in the region. Well-known representatives from different democratic parties and movements, environmentalists, human rights activists, independent journalists and public figures join together under the banner "Yabloko - United Democrats of the Krasnodar Territory". The joint list of candidates includes: Andrei Rudomakha, Chairman of the Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO and coordinator of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch, Yegeny Vitishko, Chair of the Tuapse branch of YABLOKO, Suren Ghazaryan, member of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch, Lenid Malyavin, ex Chair of the Krasnodar branch of the party RPR-PARNAS party, and Dmitry Pupynin, Chairman of the Krasnodar branch of the Democratic Choice of Russia movement. The party list totals to 36 candidates...

...According to the Central Electoral Commission, YABLOKO has registered 600 candidates for elections on October 14, 2012.

Grigory Yavlinsky visits Kaliningrad to support YABLOKO’s candidates in the mayoral elections

Press Release, October 11, 2012.

On October 11, Grigory Yavlinsky visited Kaliningrad so that to support Alexandra Yakovleva, YABLOKO’s candidate in the mayoral elections and head of the party branch in Kaliningrad.

Answering the journalist’s question how Grigory Yavlinsky accesses the chances of a woman going into Russian politics, he answered that he came to support a talented professional rather than a women running against men in the elections. He also added that speaking about professional qualities people should be divided into “talented people and all the other”, rather than men and women. “Alexandra Yakovleva is a talented person, she has talents in many fields”, she was even a Soviet film star but decided to change her brilliant film carrier and went to a university once again for studying state and municipal governing. Yavlinsky noted her experience in management of complex systems (such as large modern airports) and expressed his certainty that this experience would help Yakovleva to manage Kaliningrad and to make it a convenient and modern city, a centre of tourism and investment...

PARNAS removes YABLOKO from the election race

Press Release, October 10, 2012.

RPR-PARNAS applied to the Supreme Court of Russia asking to cancel the registration of YABLOKO’s list of candidates in the election to the Pervouralsk City Duma.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin said that in this way the Sverdlovsk branch of PARNAS defends the interests of the ruling United Russia party.

"I have no complaints about PARNAS leaders. We realise that they are not in control of their regional branches. But the actions of the Sverdlovsk branch of PARNAS are connected with their strong dependence on the ruling United Russia, which uses them in its fight with a very dangerous rival in the Pervouralsk elections- the YABLOKO party," that is how Sergei Mitrokhin commented on the situation...

A motor rally with participation of Sergei Mitrokhin detained by traffic police

Press Release, October 7, 2012.

A motor rally from Izhevsk in Votkinsk, Udmurtia, organized by the Udmurtian branch of YABLOKO within the framework of the regional election campaign, has been detained by traffic police. YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin also participates in the rally. According to the police, the reason for the detention is that the action has not had a permit from the local authorities. At present Sergei Mitrokhin is trying to convince the police that the rally is lawful...

Police are trying to disrupt the meeting of Sergei Mitrokhin and YABLOKO’s candidates for the forthcoming elections with the residents of Ilsky village

Press Release, September 28, 2012.

A meeting of YABLOKO’s candidates to run in the regional and local elections (the voting day on October 14) with the residents of the Ilsky village, the Krasnodar Territory, is taking place now. According to YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin, provocateurs from the local administration and the police are trying to disrupt the meeting.

The main issue of the meeting is the discussion of the situation around environmentally unfriendly Ilsky refinery, which is a factor of serious pollution in the area. Expansion of the plant and violation of environmental standards have led to a sharp increase of morbidity in the area and growth of the death rate. All this provokes fair indignation of the local population. The residents of the area demand that unlawful expansion of refinery should be stopped.

YABLOKO candidate Murad Nurmuradov severely beaten in attack
LI News Bulletin, Issue 302, September 27, 2012
Russian lawyer and liberal candidate Murad Nurmuradov was badly attacked in the city of Tver on 25 September. Nurmuradov is one of the top figures on the YABLOKO (Russian United Democratic Party, LI full member) list of candidates for elections to the Tver City Duma. According to reports, two unidentified men in masks and camouflage uniforms entered Nurmuradov's office and attacked him. This has led to Nurmuradov being hospitalized with a broken arm and other multiple injuries, including to his head. In a statement Sergei Mitrokhin, YABLOKO chair and opposition member of the Moscow City Duma, said: “Members of the Tver branch of YABLOKO do not rule out the political causes of the case — an attack against a principled lawyer attorney and increasingly popular politician. An open attack against a registered candidate is a challenge to the city and its residents. We demand a thoroughly investigation of this case by the law enforcement. The goal of the crime was clearly intimidation. But they will not scare us!”

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YABLOKO candidate to run in the elections in Tver severely beaten

Press Release, September 26, 2012.

On September 25, 2012, Murad Nurmuradov, a lawyer and one of the top figures in YABLOKO’s list of candidates for elections to the Tver City Duma was attacked in Tver.

Two unidentified men in masks and camouflage uniforms entered Nurmuradov’s office and severely beaten him. Nurmuradov was hospitalized with a head injury, broken arm and other multiple injuries.

According to the results of the audits conducted by Nurmuradov in seven municipal companies, all seven directors of these companies were dismissed and personnel changes in the Tver city administration were underway...

Opposition forces united so that to fight election fraud in the Yeisk district, Krasnodar Territory

Press service of the Krasnodar YABLOKO, September 25, 2012.

Candidates from the opposition parties who will run in the elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnodar Territory and Municipal Council of the Yeisk District created a joint Coordinating Council for counteraction to violations in elections.

Total defiance of the law and constitutional rights and liberties of the citizens has turned into everyday practices in Russia. The authorities in Yeisk have already tried to prevent the candidates from the opposition from campaigning. The opposition parties decided to join their efforts in the fight against election fraud and created a Single Centre for Response to Violations at elections.

On September 23, YABLOKO initiated a meeting of the opposition. The meeting was attended by the candidates from the YABLOKO party, the Communist Party, the Just Russia party, and independent candidates.

The meeting established a Coordinating Council which should get all information on violations in campaigning and voting and make decisions on counteracting these violations. Also it was decided that a joint training of election observers should be held, and feed-back with members of electoral commissions should be established...

YABLOKO to control and monitor elections to the Penza Legislative Assembly together with the Civil Control movement

Press Release, September 10, 2012.

The Penza regional branch of YABLOKO and the Civil Control movement signed an agreement on the joint organization of civil control over voting and counting of votes in the elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Penza region.

According to Olga Sorokina, Deputy Chair of the Penza branch of YABLOKO, "The tasks of the party during the pre-election period and the elections coincide with the aims of the Civil Control movement, and we will definitely involve members and supporters of the party, especially its young members and public activists to the civil control over elections and counting of votes"...

Lists of municipal candidates from “YABLOKO – United Democrats” submitted to electoral commissions of the Tver region

Press Release, September 3, 2012.

Local electoral commissions of the Tver region confirmed the receipt of lists of municipal candidates from “YABLOKO – United Democrats”. The candidates from the bloc will run in the elections to the City Duma of Vishny Volochok city and the Legislative Assembly of Udomelsky District.

In Vishny Volochok the party lost is topped by Vladimir Tarasov, ex head of a poultry farm. Tarasov is well-know in the city as a professional in farming and also in the utilities sector.

Other candidates also represent small businesses. Young people under 35 constitute 75 per cent of the list which is regarded as a competitive advantage by the “YABLOKO – United Democrats” bloc...

YABLOKO’s candidates have to compete against their namesakes at Yeisk elections

Press Release, September 1, 2012.

YABLOKO’s candidates Alexander and Ekaterina Baturinets have to face an new obstacle in running in the elections in Yeisk, the Krasnodar region. They have to compete against their namesakes (a guard and a shop assistant residing in a different district) at the Yeisk elections.

The election campaign to the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnodar region is in full swing - the elections will take place on October 14. The regional authorities have been closely observing campaigning by the candidates from the opposition - the electoral bloc "YABLOKO - United Democrats". Representatives of YABLOKO, the Republican Party of Russia (PARNAS), the Democratic Choice, Solidarnost, and a large number of non-partisan civil society activists and oppositional public figures are on the list of candidates from the bloc. The authorities have begun employing a variety of political strategies to prevent the oppositional candidates from running in the elections.
Alexander Baturinets from Yeisk is one of the strongest candidates from the "YABLOKO - United Democrats" bloc. He is known for the public campaign "Public Protest: for Yeisk without Oil Terminals". He is also a deputy in the Yeisk District Council. Baturinets has been named a leader of the race by public opinion polls being ahead of a candidate from the ruling United Russia by several per cent...

Electoral Commission of the Penza region registered YABLOKO’s list of candidates to run in the elections to the regional Legislative Assembly

Press Release, August 31, 2012.

On August 28 the Electoral Commission of the Penza region registered YABLOKO’s list of candidates to run in the elections to the regional Legislative Assembly.

YABLOKO’s list contains 22 candidates. It is topped by Sergei Oleinik, President of the non-profit foundation AntiSPID (AntiAIDS). Other top candidates are Sergei Illiyev, deputy of local self-government, and Yuri Voblikov, human rights activists.

The elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Penza region will take place on October 14, 18 regional deputies will be elected according to the parties lists.

Sochi Electoral Commission has "lost" documents of the top candidate of "YABLOKO - United Democrats"

Press Release, August 31, 2012.

United Democrats” list submitted all the required documents for registration in the elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnodar Region. The receipt of the documents was confirmed by the Commission. However, yesterday the web-site of the Electoral Commission published a list of candidates who had submitted their documents to the commission and Andrei Rudomakha was not in that list. Yet YABLOKO has got no answer from the Commission explaining this. The Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO will be investigating this sudden "loss" of documents.

Andrei Rudomakha, leader of the Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO and top candidate in the list of “YABLOKO - United Democrats” has been also nominated to run for the Sochi single-mandate electoral district No 48, where he should compete with Viktor Teplyakov, Sochi Deputy Secretary of the Political Council of the ruling United Russia party...

YABLOKO office opens in Novouralsk, Sverdlovsk Region

Press Release, August 1, 2012.

YABLOKO office opened in Novouralsk, Sverdlovsk Region. Maxim Petlin, head of the Sverdlovsk Region branch of YABLOKO, Galina Mikhlyova, YABLOKO Bureau member, and Kirill Gontcharov, leader of the Youth YABLOKO in Moscow, visited the office.

Vladimir Plyusnin, well-known environmentalist and chair of the YABLOKO branch in Pervouralsk, greeted the guests in the new office. Plyusnin told the guests about the economic and political situation in the city on the threashold of elections to the local Council on October 14.

YABLOKO’s Regional Conference which will take place on August 5 has to nominate party candidates to run in the elections. It is expected that well-known public figures in the city, businessmen and local party activists will be included into YABLOKO’s list.

Leader of the Bryansk branch of YABLOKO nominated to run in the gubernatorial elections

Press Release, July 26, 2012.

Andrei Ponomaryov, leader of the Bryansk branch of YABLOKO was nominated by the conference of the regional party branch to run in the gubernatorial elections due on October 14, 2012.

The next step for registration in the election campaign should be overcoming of a "municipal filter": the nominees have to get support from municipal deputies and heads of municipal districts. According to the law adopted by the regional legislative assembly (Duma), the "municipal filter" amounts to a 7 per cent threshold in the Bryansk Region...

YABLOKO made it into the legislative assembly of Kasimov despite fraud
Statement by YABLOKO Chairman, July 23, 2012.

The YABLOKO party made it into the Duma (legislative assembly) of Kasimov. According to official data, the party overcame the threashold into the Duma. However, our real vote, despite of the stuffing of ballots in favour of the ruling party, is much more.

These elections were a failure for Russian falsificators. And this is largely due to the work of independent volunteers – the observers who worked in Kasimov. YABLOKO expresses its gratitude to all of them and admiration of their life stance...

Never before had the evidence of crime been so conclusive. YABLOKO will seek to get all those engaged in rigging the elections to justice.

Police received a complaint of "pornographic" YABLOKO leaflets

Press Release, July 18, 2012.

Vladimir Grachyov, Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission of the Ryazan region, applied to the police of the Kasimov city demanding to stop the distribution of YABLOKO leaflets. The leaflets criticised United Russia for the July raise of housing and utilities tariffs.

Earlier Grachyov had already expressed his concern about the leaflets to YABLOKO activists participating in the elections to the Kasimov City Council. The leaflet contained a caricature picturing a girl washing in the shower. A man bursting into the bathroom says to the scared girl, "I am not looking at you, I am looking at the water counter"...

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin to visit Omsk

Press Release, June 9, 2012.
...On June 11, Mitrokhin will participate in the conference of the regional branch of YABLOKO.

On June 12, he will meet students, political scientists and other citizens in the conference hall of hotel Tourist at 11:30. The topic of the meeting is "Omsk on the threashold of mayoral elections". Address: Str. Broz Tito, 2.

Then YABLOKO leader will join the rally in support of Moscow's March of the Millions.

A public inspection on problematic sites of the city will take place at 15:13: Ptichya Gavan (Birds’ Harbour) – Zyelyoniy Ostrov (Green Island) - Metro – Silicon plant.

On June 13 (at 15:00) Sergei Mitrokhin, Alexander Korotkov, YABLOKO's candidate for mayor of Omsk, and Tatiana Ovcharenko, renowned expert in the field of protection of citiznes' rights in the housing and utilities sector, will participate in the press conference "Challenges before Omsk on the Threashold of the Mayoral Elections". The press conference will take place in the press center of the Komsomolskaya Pravda paper.

YABLOKO leader participated in the inauguration of Yugeny Urlashyov, the Mayor of Yaroslavl
Press Release, May 26, 2012.

YABLOKO leader participated in the inauguration of Yugeny Urlashyov, the Mayor of Yaroslavl, and congratulated him on taking the office.

Sergei Mitrokhin discussed with the Mayor the issues of urban economy and the city budget. "We will try to restore the law on financial foundations of local self-government developed by YABLOKO and revoked later by United Russia. If it had worked, then today the Yaroslavl tax base would have been several times larger,” he said...

14,000 signatures in ten days collected for YABLOKO's candidate in the mayoral elections in Omsk
Press Release, May 5, 2012.

Collection of signatures for registration of Alexander Korotkov, YABLOKO member and ex Vice-Governor, as a candidate in the mayoral elections in Omsk has finished.

Within ten days only (from April 25 to May 4) YABLOKO collected 14,000 signatures in favour of his nomination. Now the election headquarters of the candidate have to select 9,916 signatures required for Korotkov’s registration and wil forward them to the Electoral Commission until May 7.

Alexander Korotkov, ex Vice-Governor of the Omsk region, was nominated to run for the mayor of Omsk at YABLOKO’s Federal Bureau meeting on April 20...

Mitrokhin congratulated Eugeny Urlashov on winning the post of Mayor at elections in Yaroslavl
Press Release, April 2, 2012.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin congratulated Eugeny Urlashov on winning the post of Mayor at elections in Yaroslavl. "This is an important event for the whole of the opposition,” Mitrokhin said.

YABLOKO supported the candidacy of Eugeny Urlashov in the elections. About 100 YABLOKO’s observers from Moscow, Tver and Tula participated in the monitoring of the voting in the second round...

Despite of all the attempts to rig the elections, Eugeny Urlashov was supported by 69.65 per cent of the voters. His opponent Yakov Yakushev obtained 27.78 per cent of the votes.

Over half candidates nominated and supported by YABLOKO won municipal elections on March 4
Press Release, March 6, 2012.

Over half (44 out of total 86) candidates nominated and supported by YABLOKO and the Democratic Choice won municipal elections in Moscow on March 4; whereas 36 of these 44 newly elected deputies of municipal councils come from YABLOKO and eight people represent the Democratic Choice.

Andrei Babushkin, Vice-Chairman of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO won the race in Otradnoe, Moscow, with 43 per cent of vote and YABLOKO's Zoya Shargatova running in Dorogomilovo, Moscow, won with 46 per cent of the vote...

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin: "In a country with such elections participation in elections is a must"

Vedomosti, November 14, 2011

Interview with YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin by Maxim Glikin, Irina Novikova

Question: The so called tandem of Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin lasted three years. Do you think this model was
efficient?
Sergei Mitrokhin: It was effective for the participants in the tandem themselves. As a PR stunt, it was superb. For Russia, however, it turned out to be a waste because it availed Russia nothing at all. This show was a success only for the showmen themselves. It accomplished its purpose. Part of society was deceived and pinned its hopes on Medvedev. Time was wasted, time that could have been spent more productively, in search for a genuine alternative to Putin that would have consolidated society.
Question: And did Yabloko have faith in Medvedev as an alternative to Putin?
Sergei Mitrokhin: Never. We were constantly asked who we liked more, Medvedev or Putin. We always replied that we liked
neither because there was no difference between them...

Russian Opposition Parties' Election Registration Difficulties Reviewed

Kommersant, October 31, 2011

The official registration period is over in 19 of the 27 regions where elections to the parliaments of components of the Russian Federation will be held at the same time as the State Duma election on 4 December. Yabloko has had more difficulty collecting signatures than the other non-parliamentary parties, and it was not allowed to run in the elections in six of the federation components where its ticket was certified. The campaign in Mordvinia, where only three parties are registered, is the most controversial one. Parties are filing suit and complaining to the Central Electoral Commission in Chuvashia and Novgorod Oblast.

In most of the regions where local parliamentary elections will be held at the same time as the Duma election, the registration of candidates has been completed (in 14 regions last Friday). At this stage of the campaign, the locations where non-parliamentary parties will be able to run in the elections are already apparent.

Yabloko was denied registration in six regions -- Ingushetia, Maritime Territory, Stavropol Territory, Amur Oblast, Moscow Oblast, and Altay Territory. Its lists of candidates were registered in four regions -- Perm Territory, Samara and Astrakhan oblasts, and St. Petersburg. The registration deadline has not arrived yet in five of the regions where the Yabloko ticket was certified -- Karelia and Leningrad, Pskov, and Omsk oblasts...

Russia clamps down on opposition before elections. By Kathy Lally

The Washington Post, October 30, 2011

...Petlin, now 38 and the only Yabloko member in the 28-seat city Duma, kept battling the shopping center. On Aug, 26, his freedom was revoked and he was taken to pretrial Detention Center No. 1, which is so overcrowded, Bashkov said, that each cell holds twice its capacity. People sleep on the floor, or take turns on the beds. Tuberculosis and hepatitis are rampant. "We are talking about innocent people who haven't been tried," he said.

A few days ago, with prosecutors still unprepared to try him, Petlin's detention was extended until Dec. 22.

"I think he had an idea about the scale of the corruption," said Petlin's wife, Tatyana, "but none of us could even imagine this"...

The original publication by the Washington Post

Putin Ally Takes Over as Governor as Matviyenko Quits

The Moscow Times, August 23, 2011

...Expectations about Poltavchenko, whose involvement in public politics remains limited, were still unclear Monday, but the leader of the city branch of the liberal Yabloko party, Maxim Reznik, welcomed him simply for not being a member of Matviyenko's team.

"It's a positive move," Reznik said, Interfax reported. But he criticized the fact that residents of St. Petersburg, the country's second-biggest city with a population of 4.8 million, will be given no say in who will govern them.

Opposition Slams Governor for ‘Secret’ Vote

The St.Petersburg Times, August 3, 2011

...Yabloko Democratic Party said it does not recognize the elections, which were not properly announced and thus illegal in a statement on Monday, which described them as a “shameful and undignified farce.”

It said that Matviyenko has a “panicked fear” of any democratic procedures and the scheme’s goal was to save her from any political competition at the election...

Our party is democratic and anti-oligarchic

Sergei Mitrokhin’s intrerview to Moskovsky Komsomolets
May 3, 2011

Question: What is happening with YABLOKO, why has it not had any success either in the regional or the federal elections?

Sergei Mitrokhin: Do we have elections in our country? You remember October 2009 in Moscow. At the polling stations where Putin, Medvedev, and Luzhkov voted, YABLOKO got 15-17%. While in places where I voted with my family we got zero. Why? In the places where the bosses voted, no-one dared to falsify anything. Only islands for free elections remain today - due to oversights, because although we have an authoritarian regime it is not very tough. In places where we manage to ensure a fair count of the votes, we get what we are due. In Sebezhsky district in Pskov Oblast - 20.6% of the vote and second place after United Russia. In Kolchuginsky district Vladimir Oblast - more than 20%, second place after the LDPR (Liberal Democratic Party of Russia), but the head of our list was elected head of the district...

The 1st of May Democratic March demanding dismissal of the Governor and elections of executive authorities took place in St.Petersburg

Press Service of St.Petersburg YABLOKO, May 3, 2011.

The 1st of May Democratic March demanding dismissal of Governor Valentina Matviyenko and elections of executive authorities took place in St.Petersburg. The participants marched along the main streets of the city and then conducted a rally. About 500 people came to the march. The participants held banners “Democratic March” and “Matviyenko to Dismissal”. A large number of police, several coaches of riot police (OMON) and a police helicopter followed the demonstration...

Rally under the slogans "Down with the party of thieves" and "We want changes" held in Barnaul

Press Release, April 25, 2011.

On April 24 a rally against the ruling United Russia party under the slogans "We want changes" and "Down with the party of thieves" was held in Barnaul, the Altai Territory. Activists from the regional offices of the YABLOKO party, the Communist Party, the Party of People’s Freedom and the Russian People's Democratic Union participated in the action...

Secretary of Mordovian Central Electoral Commission did not want to listen to YABLOKO’s criticism

Press Release, April 21, 2011.

Members of the Central Electoral Commission of Mordovia, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Justice left the Electoral Commission meeting during the speech of Vladimir Gridin, the leader of the Mordovian branch of YABLOKO.

Responding to the acting Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission of Mordovia Alexander Kalinin, who devoted part of his speech to the "failures" of the YABLOKO party during elections, Vladimir Gridin accused the Electoral Commission in large-scale fraud. Gridin also recalled the scandal during parliamentary elections in 2007 when 102% of the voters in one of the polling stations in Mordovia voted for the ruling United Russia party. According to Gridin, election fraud can be interpreted as a "seizure of power", and this is a crime against the state which does not have any limitation period...

A rally against election fraud took place in Kaliningrad

Press Release, April 18, 2011.

On April 17, 2011, a rally against election fraud took place in Kaliningrad. Vladimir Korolyov, Bureau member of YABLOKO’s regional branch and Andrei Kovalevsky acting Deputy Chair of the regional branch spoke at the rally. About 1,000 participants came to the rally. The resolution unanimously adopted by the participants calls Russian Presidnet Dmitry Medvedev to approve public commission for auditing the results of regional election in the Kaliningrad region which took place in March 2011. YABLOKO proposed Andrei Kovalevsky as commission member.

YABLOKO’s Alexei Firsov elected head of the Kolchuginsky district, Vladimir region

Press Release, March 29, 2011.

Today the Council of People’s Deputies of the Kolchuginsky district, Vladimir region elected leader of local YABLOKO’s branch Alexei Firsov head of the district.

At local elections on March 13, 2011, Firsov was elected member of the district council getting 29.72 per cent of the votes. YABLOKO’s party list in the district obtained 20.56 per cent of votes.

Public Prosecutor General to investigate the actions of the Tambov region departments of the security, the interior and the Investigation Committee

Press Release, March 28, 2011.

The Bureau of the YABLOKO party applied to Public Prosecutor General Yury Chaika demanding to bring to justice the officers of the Tambov region departments of the security, the interior and the Investigation Committee, who began interrogating YABLOKO’s collectors of signatures (collection of signatures of the electorate is a requirement for party registration in an election campaign) as well as those voters who put their signatures in favour of YABLOKO’s regional parliamentary campaign in March 2011.

On February 4, 2011, the Tambov Regional Electoral Commission refused to register YABLOKO’s list of candidates nominated to run for the Tambov regional parliament stating that 371 out of 1,718 signatures were allegedly fraudulent.

The law enforcement began investigation of the circumstances relating to the collection of signatures. YABLOKO’s Bureau indicated that the police were conducting the investigation with grave violation of laws and constitutional rights of the citizens...

A rally against the ruling United Russia party took place in Izhevsk

Press Release, March 19, 2011.

1,200 people participated in a rally against the ruling United Russia party in Izhevsk, Udmurtia. The rally was organised by the YABLOKO party in the central square of the city...

According to Mitrokhin, all these types of theft originate from stealing of votes at elections, where United Russia even does not conceal its stuffing in of fraudulent ballots or the so-called carousels [organizing commuting coaches to bring special people to put fraudulent ballots in favour of this party].

“However, the fault here lies on us, rather than on the United Russia party, because, it is us who allow to do all this to us and seems that we do not have self-respect as a nation,” Mitrokhin added...

“All parties should have the equal right to participate”, says YABLOKO leader after elections
LI News Bulletin, Issue 224, March 17, 2011

“The YABLOKO party has constantly been facing arbitrary rule and politically biased violation of its rights at elections of all levels for many years already”, YABLOKO leader (LI full member) Sergei Mitrokhin comments in the wake of the Russian regional elections which took place last Sunday. Local election officials banned over 45 percent of the candidates nominated by the YABLOKO party, compared with 0.8 percent for the ruling United Russia, which on average won about 50 percent of votes. “The most wide spread techniques are those targeted at ousting the party from elections already at the stage of registration at election campaigns… YABLOKO insists that all the political parties should have equal rights to participate in the elections without any preliminary requirements”, Mitrokhin further said. According to YABLOKO, the election day again revealed much fraud, such as compulsion of public servants to vote for the ruling party, bribing of voters and mass-scale ballot-stuffing. YABLOKO will apply to courts arguing the elections results and the violations...

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Regional elections demonstrate much fraud

Press Release, March 17, 2011. Video.

At regional elections in Russia (March 13, 2011) taking place in Russia’s regions local election officials banned over 45 percent (3 rejected party lists and 43 candidates out of total of YABLOKO’s 8 lists and 66 candidates - the highest figure from all the parties) of the candidates nominated by the YABLOKO party, compared with 0.8 percent for the ruling United Russia. Although, according to public opinion poll conducted by Novaya Gazeta, YABLOKO should have led the elections with 25.2 percent of votes against 1.5 percent in favour of the ruling United Russia. Such figures were confirmed by the results of local elections in the Vladimir region and the Republic of Karelia where YABLOKO’s candidates won the campaign gaining from 29 to 48 percent...

Half of Yabloko Nominees Banned

The Moscow Times, March 4, 2011.

Local election officials have banned about 45 percent of the candidates nominated by the liberal Yabloko party for the March regional elections, compared with 0.8 percent for the ruling United Russia, Kommersant reported Thursday...

the original publication in the MT

FSB provocation against YABLOKO’s Maxim Petlin

Press Release, February 25, 2011.

A district court in Yekaterinburg decided to release the leader of the Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO Maxim Petlin under the bail of deputies of the regional parliament and the city parliament. The state prosecutor demanded to apply such preventive measure as imprisonment of Petlin before the trial...

Maxim Petlin, leader of YABLOKO’s branch in the Sverdlovsk region was arrested on February 22 on suspicion of gouging 3 million rubles out of construction company the Forum Group...

Regional elections will take place in Yelaterinburg in March. YABLOKO’s candidate Irina Skachkova was withdrawn from the race under a pretext of “fraudulent signatures” in favour of the candidate. The court declined her suit despite of the face the eleven witnesses confirmed their disputed signatures in court. The present action against Petlin continues the line of reprisals set by the authorities against YABLOKO’s activists.

FSB is after YABLOKO

Press Release, February 21, 2011.

In Tambov a woman-activist collecting signatures for registration of YABLOKO in the regional election campaign was summoned for an interview to the Federal Security Bureau (FSB). A FAB officer made her to write a written explanation why her signature sheets contained signatures recognised invalid by handwriting experts...

Candidates from YABLOKO restored in the elections in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region and Saratov

Press Release, February 21, 2011.

The Khanty-Mansiysk District Court ruled out that the Territorial Electoral Commission must register Yuri Shagut, leader of the local branch of the YABLOKO party, for election to the City Council in Ugra...

In another region, in the city of Saratov, on February 20, Saratov District Court restored Alexander Zhurbin, one of the leaders of the Saratov branch YABLOKO, in the election to the City Council...

YABLOKO’s candidates withdrawn from regional elections
LI News Bulletin No 219, February 11, 2011

LI full member YABLOKO is conducting protest actions in reaction to the withdrawal of YABLOKO's candidates from regional elections in Russia, scheduled for March 2011... YABLOKO party leader Sergei Mitrokhin says that recent statements by President Medvedev's that “the political system has become more just and there has been less criticism of the electoral process” does not reflect the real situation...

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YABLOKO conducted an action against withdrawal of the party from elections by the Central Electoral Commission office

February 8, 2011.

An unsanctioned action against withdrawal of YABLOKO from regional elections took place by the Central Electoral Commission office. Activists of the Youth YABLOKO unfolded for a few minutes a banner "Stop withdrawing us from elections!" And "Unfair elections mean the way to Egypt!", after which they were arrested and sent to the local police department. Now they are all waiting for a trial...

YABLOKO prepares protest actions in connection with withdrawal of the party from elections

Press Release, February 7, 2011.

YABLOKO prepares protest actions in connection with withdrawal of YABLOKO’s candidates from regional elections in Russia that have to take place in March 2011.

YABLOKO’s lists were withdrawn from elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Tambov region and the Municipal Council of Stavropol. YABLOKO’s candidates who had to run in single-mandate electoral districts will not be able to run in seven regions.

However, after YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin spoke about this during a programme broadcast by the Echo Moskvi radio station where he criticized the President, the situation has somewhat improved. Dmitry Medvedev’s statement that the political system had become more just and there had been less criticism of the electoral process did not reflect the real situation, Mitrokhin said...

YABLOKO has been registered for regional parliamentary elections in the Kaliningrad region

Press Release, January 30, 2011.

The Electoral Commission of the Kaliningrad region registered the list of the YABLOKO party for elections to the Legislative Assembly of the region. On January 26 YABLOKO’s activists submitted the required 10,000 of signatures in favour of the party as demanded by law for non-parliamentary parties. On January 29, the Electoral Commission adopted the decision to register YABLOKO in the regional election campaign...

YABLOKO submitted to electoral commissions signatures for registration in election campaign in 13 regions

Press Release, January 28, 2011.

The YABLOKO party submitted to electoral commissions the required signatures for registration in election campaign in 13 regions. According to Russian law, YABLOKO as a non-parliamentary party must collect signatures from its electorate in support of its candidates to get registered in election campaigns.

YABLOKO is going to participate in regional parliamentary elections in the Kaliningrad, Kursk and Tambov regions, to the city assemblies of the capitals of the Vladimir and Saratov regions, the Stavropol Area and the Republic of Komi. In total the party nominated candidates to run in parliamentary and municipal elections in 15 regions...

Round table “Russia and Europe: a View from Kaliningrad” took place in Kaliningrad

Press Release, January 22, 2011

On January 21, a round table “Russia and Europe: a View from Kaliningrad” took place in Kaliningrad on the initiative of the Kaliningrad branch of YABLOKO.

“Relations between Russia and the European Union, first of all the problem of abolishing the visa regime, is not an abstract, but a vitally important problem for the residents of the Kaliningrad region,” said Vladimir Vukolov, deputy chair of the regional parliament of the Kaliningrad region and representative of the Elder Generation public organisation...

An attack against deputy head of the Bashkirian branch of YABLOKO

Press Release, January 19, 2011

Deputy head of the Bashkirian branch of YABLOKO and human rights activist Damir Garifullin was severely beaten on January 17, 2010. Damir is in hospital now with a stab wound in the chest and multiple injuries...
Naumkin also said that the investigators had several versions, as Damir was active in all the areas where Bashkirian branch of YABLOKO was working, and different people from the local government and self-government bodies and the law enforcement serving them expressed their dissatisfaction with Damir...

Vice speaker of the Kaliningrad regional parliament to top YABLOKO’s list at the forthcoming regional elections

Press Release, December 27, 2010

Vladimir Vukulov, Vice Speaker of the Kaliningrad Region Duma (regional parliament), and present deputy of the regional parliament Alexander Shatskikh joined the YABLOKO party and topped the party list at the regional parliamentary elections that will take place in March 2011. The third top person in the list is Oleg Konshin, member of Kaliningrad Region Electoral Commission. Vukulov and Shatskikh have not belong to any political party, but were members of the Elder Generation organization and were also deputies of the United Russia faction in the Kaliningrad Region Duma...

Sergei Mitrokhin proposed to begin introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and EU from Russia’s exclave - the Kaliningrad region

Press Release, November 20, 2010

Chair of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin and leader of YABLOKO’s Pensioners of Russia faction Alexei Borschenko visited the conference of the Kaliningrad branch of YABLOKO. The conference discussed the regional list for elections to the regional parliament (regional Duma), that will take place in March 2011. In his speech at the conference Mitrokhin told about the activities of the party targeted at solving the problems of the residents of the Kaliningrad region. According to Mitrokhin, one of the key directions here would be introduction a visa-free regime with the EU member countries...

YABLOKO is the most popular political party in Tula according to an Internet poll

Press Release, November 15, 2010

If parliamentary elections were taking place in the nearest time, 23.54 per cent of visitors of one of the most popular news web portals of the regions – Tula News – say they would vote for YABLOKO...

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