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Press releases

The tragedy in the Noviye Aldany, Chechnya, should be investigated on a federal level

Press Release, January 31, 2011.

The YABLOKO party has once forwarded a letter to President Medvedev calling him to take under his personal control the investigation of the crimes by St.Peterburg riot police in Noviye Aldany village, Chechnya. YABLOKO also asks the President to transfer the case from the republic to the federal investigators...

...On February 4 there was silence. The residents of the village got out of the basements and cells, began repairing their roofs, made reserves of water and cleaned the yards. On February 5, a large group of soldiers from St. Petersburg riot police (OMON) entered Noviye Aldy. For several hours, they were firing and robbing the houses, shotting the civilians and raping women. By evening, 114 residents of the village were killed or were missing. On the following days the residents buried 82 corpses. Among the dead there were no militants – all were civilians: old people, disabled persons and women ...

On the application filed by several of the village in the European Court of Human Rights, the Court found the Russian Federation guilty in the crime...

Over 30,000 votes in favour of dismissal of St.Petersburg Governor collected

Press Release, January 28, 2011.

Over 30,000 votes in favour of dismissal of St.Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko were collected witnin the framework of the campaign launched by St.Petersburg YABLOKO at
www.piter-bez-matvienko.ru,

“We, citizens of St.Petersburg, demand a dismissal of Governor Valentina Matviyenko: for several years in power we were demonstrated that the policies of the city administration clash with the interest of the residents of the city and represent a constant violation of our rights,” runs the statement signed by the residents of the city...

YABLOKO and administration of Volgograd signed a cooperation agreement

Press Release, January 21, 2011

Following Sergei Mitrokhin’s visit to Volgograd in October 2010, the Volgograd regional branch of YABLOKO and administration of Volgograd signed a cooperation agreement. The goal of the joint work is “development of civil initiatives for efficient socio-economic and socio-political development of Volgograd, raising of the role of non-parliamentary political parties in the functioning of local self-government bodies”.

The parties of the agreement will joint their efforts in drawing public attention and involving of the population of the city to the solution of the environmental problems, as well as ecological education, development of programmes for improvement of public territories, protection of environment, development of the city infrastructure and mass involvement of the citizens in planting trees in the city parks, gardens and streets...

YABLOKO participated in a march and a rally in memory of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova

Press Release, January 19, 2011

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin, member of YABLOKO’s Bureau Valery Borschov and activists of the Moscow branch of the party participated in a march and a rally in memory of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova.

Several hundreds people marched along the Tverskoy Boulevard to the Novopushkinsky Garden in the centre of Moscow. The participants held portraits of the murdered antifascists and journalists. A short rally took place in the Novopushkinsky Garden. People spoke about the neonazists’ crimes performed at the negligence of the authorities. One of the last speeches by Stanislav Markeov recorded shortly before his death was demonstrated on one of the large monitors...

Leaders and activists of the YABLOKO party laid flowers to the place of murder of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova

Press Release, January 19, 2011

Leader of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin and members of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky and Mikhail Amosov, as well as leaders and activists of the Moscow YABLOKO laid flowers to the place of murder of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasiya Baburova in the centre of Moscow at Prechistenka street.
Later today (at 8 p.m.) Sergei Mitrokhin will participate in the memorial rally organised by the Committee of January 19. The rally will take place in the Novopushkinsky garden.
Markelov and Baburova were murdered in Moscow in plain daylight on January 19, 2009, shot in the head by a gunman. According to the investigators, the crime was performed by neonazies...

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...

YABLOKO to pay tribute to the memory of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova

Press Release, January 18, 2011

Tomorrow on January 19 (at 14-30) the leader and activists of the YABLOKO party will lay flowers to the place at Prechistenka street where lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasiya Baburova were killed.

Later on the same day (20-00) Sergei Mitrokhin will participate in the memorial rally organised by the Committee of January 19. The rally will take place in the Novopushkinsky garden...

Joint Statement by ALDE, ALDE-PACE, ELDR and Liberal International on sitution after elections in Belarus

January 13, 2011

Liberals in Europe and worldwide have closed ranks to make a strong call upon the Belarusian government to release all journalists, opposition candidates and civil society representatives who face continued detention.
For liberal parties and their representatives in the European and national parliaments the brutal repression of the peaceful demonstrations following the presidential elections on 19 December 2010 is completely unacceptable...

All the detained must be immediately released!

Statement by the Chair of the YABLOKO party, January 3, 2011

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO condemns the actions by the authorities instigating the unjust rulings by the courts on holding Boris Nemtsov and other oppositional politicians (who participated in a permitted action on December 31) under arrest for many days. These decisions are unlawful and politically biased, and represent a disgrace to the police that fabricated the evidence as well as the courts of the first instance that went on a leash of the police.

This constitutes another attempt of ‘tightening up the screws’ in the very beginning of 2011 which demonstrates growth of panic in the Russian government resulting in political inadequacy. We demand that President Medvedev must adopt measures required for immediate release of all the detained and taking under control the Moscow police which has been discrediting the state power in the eyes of the Russian citizens and the world community...

YABLOKO demands from Byelorussian President Lukashenko to release all the detained on December 19-20

Press Release, December 31, 2010

The YABLOKO party demands from Byelorussian President Alexander Lukashenko to release all the detained in Minsk on December 19-20, 2010.

In its statement YABLOKO characterized presidential elections in Belarus as a political farce which had ended by demonstrative physical violence over thousands of people who had publically voiced their disagreement with the official results of the voting.

YABLOKO expressed much concern about the fate of those held arrested despite serious threat to their health. “We are calling you to maintain an absolutely different policy marked by releasing detained Russian citizens on December 29,” runs YABLOKO’s statement...

YABLOKO's leaders on the guilty verdict to Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev

Press Release, December 27, 2010
One of the leaders of the oppositional YABLOKO party Sergei Ivanenko gave the following commentaty to the Interfax agency on the guilty verdict to Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. “The guilty verdict is logical for the system we have in Russia at present”. “This verdict demonstrates that there are no discrepancies in the ruling tandem. The bureaucratic, authoritarian and punitive system is maintained in our country,” said Ivanenko. “The Khodorkovsky case is not only a political case, it shows that the discrepancy between the reality and the decisions made by the authorities has become increasingly obvious to most of the people,” he added.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin told Interfax, "It looks like the verdict will be obviously unjust. Any guilt on such a charge is absurd in itself. It is unclear how YUKOS could steal oil from itself". "The first sentence Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev have been serving demonstrated some attempt to display at least a facade of justice, however, this was completely abolished in the second trial. It has already turned from selective application of justice into a means of reprisal,” Mitrokhin noted.

YABLOKO conducted an action for peace between nations and ethnic groups

Press Release, December 20, 2010

Picket for peace between nations and ethnic groups was conducted in the centre of Moscow on December 20. The action was organised by the YABLOKO party in protest against multiethnic clashes in Moscow. The participants of the actions held placards “Let’s Preserve Peace between Nations!”, “Russia is a Homeland for 182 Ethnic Groups!”, “Let’s Stop Violence!”, “Feebleness of the Government [in opposing ethnic hatred] Leads to Public Violence!”, “Feud between Nations Leads to Russia’s Collapse!” The activists were joined by passer-bys. Despite of their true ethnic background, the activists held signs with the names of the Northern Caucasus nationalities and ethnic groups: “I am an Ossetian”, “I am a Darginian”, “I am a Lezginian”, etc. Police attempted to stop the action...

Nationalism will not work!
Statement by the Regional Council of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO, December 16, 2010

The regional branch of the YABLOKO party in Moscow states that large-scale nationalist clashes in the capital be a serious threat to the country's existence. We consider the authorities' actions against the organisers and the participants of the clashes be inadequate to threat they pose...

An explanation lies either in extremely low professionalism of the police heads or their sympathy for the nationalists and their slogans, or even in both the reasons. If the authorities do not file criminal cases on "inciting of ethnic hatred" and "organisation of mass disorders", then there are grounds to speak about the collusion of the authorities and the nationalists. The authorities often see the nationalists as their allies. We are confident that among those who were engaged in the clashes in the center of Moscow there were representatives of nationalistically minded groups of football fans who attacked the defenders of Khimki forest. We know about the connection between these groups with pro-Kremlin youth movements, their creators and tutors...

YABLOKO conducted a memorial action paying tribute to murdered journalists

Press Release, December 15, 2010

On Wednesday, December 15, on the Journalists Memorial Day, the YABLOKO party conducted a memorial action paying tribute to murdered journalists. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and head of YABLOKO’s Gender faction Galina Mikhalyova also participated in the picketing.
The action took place by the Griboyedov monument at Chistiye Prudy. YABLOKO’s activists held photographs of murdered journalists with the dates when they were killed and placards “Univestogated murders = a disgrace for the state!” and “No one brought to account?” showing that the murders have been still uninvestigated. The murderers of P.Khlebnikov (The Forbes), I.Domnikov, Yu.Schekochikhin, A.Politkovskaya (Novaya Gazeta), A.Sidorov, V.Ivanov (Toliattinskoye Obozreniye) E.Markevich (Noviy Ref), Ya.Yaroshenko (Korruptzia I Prestupnost), V.Krivosheyev (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Lipetsk), Larissa Yudina (Sovietskaya Kalmykia) and many other have not been found...

YABLOKO to conduct a memorial action paying tribute to murdered journalists

Press Release, December 14, 2010

On Wednesday, December 15, the YABLOKO party will conduct a memorial action paying tribute to murdered journalists. The picket will take place on the Journalists Memorial Day devoted to journalists who were killed in the line of their duty and conducted by the Russian Journalists’ Union. The action will take place by the Griboyedov monument at Chiastiye Prudy. YABLOKO’s activists will hold photographs of murdered journalists with the dates when they were killed. The activists will also hold a banner with a question “No one brought to account?” against a background of photos of the journalists whose murders have been still uninvestigated. Thus the murderers of P.Khlebnikov (The Forbes), I.Domnikov, Yu.Schekochikhin, A.Politkovskaya (Novaya Gazeta), A.Sidorov, V.Ivanov (Toliattinskoye Obozreniye) E.Markevich (Noviy Ref), Ya.Yaroshenko (Korruptzia I Prestupnost), V.Krivosheyev (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Lipetsk), Larissa Yudina (Sovietskaya Kalmykia) and many other. The activists will light candles in memory of the killed journalists...

YABLOKO continues defending Human Rights to end discrimination

LI News Special Edition for 10 December 2010 Human Rights Day

YABLOKO (LI full member) is a party which advocates the end of discrimination of all forms of human rights abuse. The YABLOKO Human Rights activists have conducted a serious of rallies to end discrimination and protect human rights in Russia. Activists from YABLOKO's Gender faction led a parade to denounce violence against women on the basis of gender equality. YABLOKO is the only Russian party which joined the UN action “The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence” and strongly advocates women's rights. Moreover, YABLOKO expressed its concern on the discrimination against AIDS patients by participating in the Red Ribbon international action for the World AIDS Day on 1 December. YABLOKO believes that the state should apply maximum efforts so that people with AIDS could get the much needed assistance they need and that society would stop treating them as outcasts. “The state should restore order here. It should extend a helping hand to the sick people and provide treatment to them. All the mobbing which such people often have to confront should be stopped”, said Sergei Mitrokhin, Chairman of the YABLOKO party.

MORE

Stopping discrimination for the value of Human Rights
The Role of the State in protecting and promoting Human Rights
A Culture of Human Rights
New ways of discrimination require new approaches towards discrimination
YABLOKO continues defending Human Rights to end discrimination
Liberals against ethnic discrimination
ALDE fights against human trafficking
Justice for Russian Human Rights advocate Sergei Magnitsky
SDP urges political freedom in Singapore

Leader of St.Petersburg YABLOKO welcomes proposal by Governor Valentina Matviyenko to search for a new site for construction of Gazprom’s skyscraper

Press Release, December 3, 2010

Leader of St.Petersburg YABLOKO welcomed the proposal by St.Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko to search for a new site for construction of Gazprom’s skyscraper. According to Reznik, such a decision by the Governor results from long-term fight by the defenders of the historical centre of the city and the dialogue between the Governor and architects and historians with has finally begun...

YABLOKO’s leader on the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly

Based on Russian media reports, December 1, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his disappointment with Presidential Address to the Russian parliament, as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev virtually failed to propose any measures in the field of political reform. “He did not say a word about the “glorified” United Russia party and nothing was proposed in the field of political reform, however, in an earlier statement the President had noted that without such a reform we would not be able to overcome the signs stagnation,” Mitrokhin said. “Only cosmetic changes has taken place; whereas inequality of the parties that will run in the parliamentary elections has been maintained. In addition, the past regional and municipal elections demonstrated that election fraud did not reduce at all,” he noted...

On the court judgment on Vladimir Timakov libel case

Statement by the Chairman of the Tula YABLOKO, November 30, 2010

Yesterday night Tula Court passed a judgment which proclaimed deputy of the Tula City Duma from the YABLOKO party journalist Vladimir Timakov guilty of libel against Governor of the Tula region. Such a judgment on Timakov was made as he had laid the blame for the growth of corruption in the Tula region on Governor Dudka as the top official of the region. Timakov had explained his opinion by growth of corruption cases against top regional and municipal officials.

The court of the first instance had already obliged Vladimir Timakov to pay to the Governor RUR 1.5 million (approx. USD 500,000) as a compensation of moral damage. Unfortunately yesterday’s decision of the judge did not come as a surprise. The Tula regional branch of YABLOKO considers the guilty verdict [against Timakov] as another confirmation that independent judicial system is lacking in Russia and in the Tula region in particular...

Yabloko condemns attack on Russian journalist

Liberal International News Bulletin. Issue 209. November 18, 2010.
After Russian journalist for the Kommersant newspaper, Oleg Kashin was severely beaten outside his home in Moscow on 6 November, LI full member YABLOKO has issued a press statement condemning the attacks and demanding that authorities launch investigations into the attack: “The YABLOKO party states that it is ready to participate in an independent investigation of the circumstances of this crime and render all possible assistance as well as human and organizational resources to Editor-in-Chief Mikhail Mikhailin and the team of the Kommersant paper.” YABLOKO leaders also picketed outside the Moscow Interior Office with other journalists and political activists to demand investigative action. Mr. Kashin's editor said that the attacks were retribution for articles he had recently written covering anti-Kremlin protests and extremist rallies against the building of a highway through Khimki forest outside Moscow which has now been put on hold by the government. Attacks on journalists are not uncommon in Russia. Human rights groups say there have been 19 unsolved murders of journalists since 2000 and that investigations into attacks lead nowhere.

MORE

185th LI Executive Committee meets in Cape Town
LI President meets with representatives of the Democratic Party of Japan
Africa Liberal Network holds General Assembly
Released opposition leader calls for change in Burma
Tim Farron elected LibDem Party President
Congolese UREC and ANADER sign alliance agreement
British author jailed in Singapore for defamation
ALDE calls on Lithuanian authorities to respect freedom of expression and assembly

YABLOKO’s action in protection of journalists

Newsler.ru, November 15, 2010

On November 14, the YABLOKO party conducted a federal action against political terror launched against journalists and civil activists. Such a picket was held in Kirov.

At noon six activists of YABLOKO’s regional branch unfolded YABLOKO’s flags and placards “Search for truth = a way to death?”, “Who will protect the defenders?” and “Uninvestigated attacks [on journalists and human rights actvists]= a disgrace of the state!” Denis Shadrin, deputy head of the regional branch of YABLOKO told to the “Reporter” that attack against journalist Oleg Kashin was the reason for organizing the picket. “This incident was the law straw that breaks the camel’s back, as there were cases of violence against representatives of the media and civil activists,” Shadrin said. “The lives of the people who are telling the truth to the society are very important and should be in safety.” The goal of the picket was to draw the attention of the authorities to this problem...

Action against persecution of journalists took place in Samara

samru.ru, November 15, 2010

On November 14, several one-person pickets demanding to stop persecutions of civil activists and journalists took place in Samara.Five people participated in picketing at the Heroes of the 21 Army Square (including journalist from the Echo Moskvi radio station Gor Melkonyan and head of YABLOKO’s regional branch Igor Yermolenko), five more people came to support the picket.

The participants of the action held a placard “Stop persecuting civil activists and journalists!”, another placard contained names of activists and journalists murdered or injured for the past years and a questions “Who’s next?”...

500 people came to a rally against political terror in Moscow

Press Release, November 14, 2010

About 500 people came to a rally against political terror which took place in Moscow today, despite of the fact that only 300 people were allowed for the rally by the authorities. The rally was initiated by the YABLOKO party, the Movement for Protection of the Khimki Forest and a number of other public organisations. The action was conducted on the second anniversary of attack on Mikhail Beketov, Editor-in-Chief of the Khimki Pravda paper, who was left handicapped due to grave injuries. The participants of the rally also paid tribute to other journalists and public activists – victims of “political bandits”...

Liberal International discussed political banditism in Russia

Press Release, November 13, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin made a report on situation in Russia at the meeting of Liberal International Executive Committee which is taking place in Cape Town, South African Republic.

Mitrokhin began his report with bad news. He told about an attack on civil activist Konstantin Fetisov and journalist Oleg Kashin. “Such crimes become more frequent, as they go unpunished,” stressed YABLOKO’s leader.

According to Mitrokhin, “in words Russian leaders advocate the rule of law and democracy. But their deeds strikingly differ from their declarations”. “The Russian authorities are unable to ensure implementation of laws in the country. But they widely practice arbitrary use of law as an instrument for protection of their political and economic interests,” he noted.

Regional elections are falsified, which demonstrates insecurity of the ruling party’s position. “High popularity ratings of Putin and Medvedev and very low rates of public trust to the state and public institutes demonstrate instability of our political system,” Mitrokhin said...

Country report on Russia by Sergei Mitrokhin.

Executive Committee of Liberal International. Cape Town, November 13, 2010

It has become increasingly dangerous to state one’s position in Russia. For the past week civil activist Konstantin Fektistov and journalist Oleg Kashin were beaten almost to death and severely injured. Such crimes become more frequent, as they go unpunished. Murders of well-known journalist Anna Politkovskaya, lawyer Stanislav Markelov and human rights activist Natalia Estemirova are still uninvestigated.

For the past years our party YABLOKO lost several our friends and colleagues – journalists and human rights activists Larissa Yudina, Yuri Schekochikhin and Farid Babayev. These crimes are still uninvestigated. The fact that crimes against politicians, journalists and human rights activists are unpunished gives rise to new crimes.

The Russian authorities are unable to ensure implementation of laws in the country. But they widely practice arbitrary use of law as an instrument for protection of their political and economic interests...

YABLOKO to conduct an action in support of human rights activists and journalists in Ekaterinburg

Press Release, November 11, 2010

On Sunday, November 14, YABLOKO will hold a rally by the office of the ruling United Russia party in Ekaterinburg. The action will take place on the anniversary of the attack on Mikhail Beketov, Editor-in-Chief of the Khimkinskaya Pravda newspaper, and will be dedicated to all civil activists and journalists - victims of attacks and assaults...

"I believe that it is the ruling party, represented by its youth organisations, which has been fueling the fire of a deadly feud, fascism, and search of enemies in their country. I think that what we see today is just a consequence of this policy. I believe that violence can be ended only be means of civil protest and joining effort by all civil and political forces. Kremlin’s ideologists should realise that we will not tolerate such things", said Maxim Petlin, leader of the Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO and member of Ekaterinburg City Duma...

YABLOKO's Federal Council adopts a New Course

Press Release, November 9, 2010

YABLOKO’s Federal Council meeting took place on November 5-6, 2010. The Federal Council is YABLOKO’s representative body and comprises about 170 people...

...In the document entitled “On the New Political Course” the Federal Council states the YABLOKO “considers qualitative evolutionary changes in Russia’s political and economic system by the key political task”. “We are reaffirming our the commitment to the principles and objectives stated in the Programme of the YABLOKO party - the Democratic manifesto. Construction of a modern democratic welfare state of the European type which would expresses the interests of the civil society and be controlled by it is the only possible way of Russia’s development. There is no other strategy for preservation and development of Russia,” runs the document...

YABLOKO obtains a permission from the Moscow Mayor’s office to conduct a rally against political terror

Press Release, November 9, 2010

Today YABLOKO has obtained a permission from the Moscow Mayor’s office to conduct a rally against political terror on November 14. The rally will take place by the Giboyedov monument at Chistiye Prudi. The rally marks the sad anniversary of an attack against journalist and Editor-in-Chief of the Khimki Pravda paper Mikhail Beketov left handicapped because of the injuries (Mikhail was one of the activists protecting the Khimki Forest near Moscow and criticizing the local authorities), and will be commemorate all the journalists and human rights activists who were injured or murdered. The participants of the action will speak about Konstantin Fetisov, activist protecting the Khimiki Forest, and journalist of the Kommersant paper Oleg Kashin who were severely injured several days ago...

YABLOKO expresses support to Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev

Statement by YABLOKO’s Political Committee, November 4, 2010 (published on November 7, 2010)

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO has been watching the trial of the second case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev with unflagging concern the. The party insists that the prosecution has been selective and therefore politically biased. The party urges the court to demonstrate its independence, professionalism and civic consciousness in making its verdict and not to take into account the highly questionable arguments of the prosecution...

Mourning prohibited. Police stopped a memorial rally organised for paying tribute to the victims of Stalin’s reprisals in Krasnodar

Kasparov.ru, November 1, 2010

Krasnodar police did not allow to conduct a rally in memory of the victims of political reprisals on October 30. Movement For Krasnodar informed kasparov.ru about this. Citizens came to the memorial action with placards and flowers, however, the police stopped the rally... Organiser of the action and member of the local branch of YABLOKO Sergei Surma is facing a law suit for attempted organisation of an unsanctioned rally...

YABLOKO participated in the Returning of the Names action

Press Release and photo report, October 29, 2010

Activists and leaders of the YABLOKO party participated in the Returning of the Names action organised by the Memorial human rights society. The action took place on the threashold of the Memory Day of the Victims of Political Reprisals.

Muscovites made a long queue to read out the names of the victims of Stalin’s terror. Each of the participants obtained a list with the list containing names of the victims of political reprisals of 1937-1938, their age, post and the date of execution. Ending the reading with the words “we shall never forget them” the participants of the action put a candle by the Solovetsky Stone...

Deputy Chairman of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO appeals to the Supreme Court of Russia and the European Court of Human Rights

Press Release, October 29, 2010

Ivan Bolshakov, Deputy Chairman of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO, who was sentenced to five years of probation in 2008 for his alleged “breaking an arm” to a policeman when police was dispersing a sanctioned rally in the South Butovo, Moscow, appealed against the verdict in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. Bolshakov asks the Supreme Court to abrogate the verdict all the subsequent decisions of the Moscow City Court in view of absence of crime in his actions, as well as in connection with the falsification of the criminal case against him by the law enforcement and multiple violations of the law during the trial...

YABLOKO to participate in the Returning of the Names action

Press Release, October 28, 2010

Tomorrow, on October 29, on the threashold of the Memory Day of the Victims of Political Reprisals, the Memorial human rights society organises the Returning of the Names action by the Solovetsky Stone, Lubyanka square, Moscow. The participants of the action in turn will read our loud the names of the people shot in Moscow during Stalin’s reprisals. The action will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The leaders and activists of the YABLOKO party will read the names of the victims of Stalin’s reprisals at 2 p.m. Over 30,000 people were shot in Moscow only during 1937-1938...

European Parliament resolution on the situation of human rights in the North Caucasus (Russian Federation) and the criminal prosecution against Oleg Orlov

European Parliament. Joint motion for a resolution. October 20, 2010

...… 18. Calls on the Russian authorities to comply with all the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and to implement measures to rectify violations in individual cases, including by ensuring that effective investigations are conducted and by holding the perpetrators
accountable, and to adopt general measures to implement the rulings, including policy and legal changes to prevent similar violations recurring;
19. Recommends that the state authorities at federal, regional and local level start a constructive dialogue with civil society activists so that functioning democratic structures can develop;
20. Calls for the EU-Russia human rights consultations to be stepped up and urges that this consultation process be opened up to effective input from the European Parliament, the Duma, the Russian judicial authorities and civil society and human rights organisations; calls on Russia to respect fully its obligations as a member of the OSCE and of the Council of Europe;
21. Draws particular attention to the situation of thousands of North Caucasus refugees in EU Member States, with special reference to the diaspora from Chechnya living in Austria, which amounts to at least 20 000 people, including many minors; expresses serious concern, in that connection, at the murder of a Chechen refugee in Vienna in May 2010 and the grave allegations regarding the Chechen President’s implication in that crime; calls for the EU Member States to implement a more coordinated, coherent and visible policy on the protection of North Caucasus refugees on European soil, in accordance with their humanitarian and human rights obligations;
22. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of the Russian Federation, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.
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The murder of Larissa Yudina is still uninvestigated

Statement by the YABLOKO party, October 22, 2010

Today our friend, journalist and editor of the Sovetskaya Kalmykia Today paper Larisa Yudina would have turned 65.

She was killed on June 7, 1998. The perpetrators and the organiser of this murder – S.Vaskin who had had several criminal records and served as Legal Advisor to the President of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, were found and convicted.

However, the person who ordered the murder has not been named yet, in spite of the fact that the investigation knows his name...

The European Court of Human Rights admitted the claim on annulment of the results of Russian parliamentary elections of 2003

Press Release, October 20, 2010

Today the European Court of Human Rights admitted the complaint on the results of parliamentary elections of 2003 submitted by YABLOKO, CPRF and several individuals including Sergei Ivanenko, Vladimir Ryzhkov, Irina Khakamada, Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Solovyov and journalists Eugeni Kiselyov and Dmitry Muratov. The claim will be examined at the Court’s meeting shortly.

Now the plaintiffs and the Government of Russia should give answers on the follow-up questions set by the court. Before the claim was submitted to Strasburg, the claim was examined by Russian courts. In 2004 the Supreme Court of Russia rejected the claim...

A party in memory of Larissa Yudina to take place in YABLOKO’s office

Press Release, October 20, 2010

On October 22, the birthday of Larissa Yudina, Editor-in-Chief of Sovietskaya Kalmykia newspaper, murdered in July 1998, the YABLOKO party will conduct a party in her memory. The party is devoted not only to Larissa Yudina, but to all the journalists who died implementing their work...

YABLOKO to control the population census

Press Release, October 19, 2010

YABLOKO is going to perform public control over the population census conducted in Russia from October 14 through October 25. According to mass media reports, as well as information from web blogs and forums, the census is accompanied by mass-scale violations of citizens’ rights. The Russian Statistical Agency (Rosstat) concluded agreements with Moscow universities so that to employ students as census takers. However, students are made to work mandatory and are freed from their classes during this period. Those who do not agree to skip classes are threatened with expelling from their universities. The students are made to work 12 hours a day (from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) without any guarantees of a wage pay. Moreover, they are not allowed to get their copies of such labour contracts which is another violation of the law.

According to mass media, in some Russian region census takers demand from the citizens, in violation of the law “On the All-Russia Census”, to provide their passport data. It also turned out that census stations are headed mostly by the ruling United Russia party members. A number of census stations are even located in United Russia offices. YABLOKO expresses its concern that the census data will be used by the ruling party in its political goals...

March in Support of St.Petersburg gathered about 3,000 participants
Press Release, October 11, 2010.

The fourth March in Support of St.Petersburg took place in St.Petersburg on October 9. According to the organizers, about 3,000 people came to this action which was conducted in a form of rally-concert. The action was initiated by Zhivoi Gorog (Living City) movement, Civil Initiatives Movement, St.Petersburg YABLOKO and members of St.Petersburg branch of the Society for Preservation of Historical and Cultural Heritage (VOOPIiK). Other participants of the action were St.Petersburg Youth YABLOKO, the Federation of Social Youth, United People’s Front, the Women Voters’ League, environmental human rights centre Bellona, EKOM, the Okhta Curve, Let Us Preserve Yuntolovo, For the Protection of the Vassiliyevsky Island, Bashne.Net, Solidarity, Defence, Russian People’s Democratic Union, St.Petersburg Human Rights Council, Association of Small and Medium Businesses, different initiative groups and many other. The key topic was the protest against building of the Okhta Centre which will spoil the historical environment of the city. The participants also called to preserve the historical centre of St.Petersburg and protect parks and gardens in the city. Many participants spoke about the need to return elections of St.Petersburg Governor and called the present Governor Valentina Matviyenko to resign...

A rally in protection of an oak wood in Khimki, Moscow region
Press Release, October 10, 2010.

About 500 people gathered for a rally in protection of an oak wood in Khimki, Moscow region, on October 10. This time the authorities decided to cut the wood under construction of an elite housing complex with a quay for yachts in the water protection zone of the Moscow Canal. The action joined together local residents, activists of the Movement for Protection of Khimki Forest and YABLOKO’s activists. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin.

After the rally two unidentified men saying that they are from the Police Department on Economic Crimes tried to detain Mitrokhin. However, they refused to show their credentials...

Investigation of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya should be boosted

Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman. October 7, 2010.

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO demands to boost investigation of the murder of journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya.

There is much chance to efficiently investigate this case.

The investigation produced some results, however, it has not moved any further for a long time.

We think that this happens first of all due to the lack of political will to complete the investigation, i.e. to find those who ordered the murder...

Kalmykian YABLOKO conducted a picket against federal law 83 targeted at commercialization of education and healthcare

Press Release, September 29, 2010.

The Kalmykian branch of YABLKO conducted a picket in Elista against federal law 83 targeted at commercialization of education and healthcare. The law envisages virtual transfer to paid services in education and healthcare violating the constitutional right of the Russian citizens to free education and healthcare...

Irkutsk YABLOKO conducted a picket against federal law 83 targeted at commercialization of education and healthcare

Press Release, September 28, 2010.

The Irkutsk branch YABLKO and Parent’ Club from Angarsk conducted a picket in Irkutsk against federal law 83 targeted at commercialization of education and healthcare...

President of Russia supported YABLOKO’s amendment to the law on police

Press Release, September 27, 2010.

Past week President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev conducted a meeting for discussion of the draft federal law “On Police”. At the meeting the President also spoke on two amendments proposed by the YABLOKO party.

A special web-site created for public discussion of the draft law on police demonstrated that eight out of ten amendments proposed by YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin to the new law were in the top of the public voting rating...

Protesters demanded to abrogate the law on reform of budget supported schools and hospitals in a rally in Moscow

Press Release, September 25, 2010.

A rally of indignant parents took place at Taras Shevchenko embankment, Moscow. The participants of the rally protested against introduction of paid education and healthcare, as well as all-through commercialisation of the education sector. Activists and leaders of the YABLOKO party participated in the rally.
The changes in the federal law No 83 virtually form a legislative basis under introduction of paid education and healthcare and curbing the sphere of free services to virtually nothing, thus violating constitutional rights of the citizens to free education and healthcare.

“This law violated Article 34 of the Russian Constitution which guarantees comprehensive gratuitous education. It is targeted against modernization, as two thirds of the population will be doomed to semi-illiteracy. In contrast to President’s wishes not only they will be unable to develop new technologies, but even to realise what they are about,” YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin said at the rally...

YABLOKO to invite Education Minister Andrei Fursenko to the rally of indignant parents

Press Release, September 23, 2010.

On September 24 activists of the Youth YABLOKO are going to hand to Education Minister Andrei Fursenko invitation to the rally which will be conducted by outraged parents in Moscow tomorrow. The participants of the rally protest against mass-scale dismissals of teachers all over the country planned y the Education Ministry, as well as all-through commercialisation of the education sector...

Who wanted to kill journalist Mikhail Beketov

Press Release, September 14, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin continues to insist that "Governor of the Moscow region Boris Gromov bears the political responsibility for everything happening in the Moscow region, including the situation with crime, which allows [criminals] to attempt lives of public figures"...

Governor of the Moscow region Boris Gromov applied to court stating that Mitrokhin’s speech at rally on November 16, 2009, on the anniversary of the attack against Beketov. Mitrokhin’s speech appeared at YouTube and was also published at YABLOKO’s web-site. The Governor of the Moscow region demanded compensation of moral damages amounting to RUR 500,000, however, the court cut this amount to RUR 20,000 (approx. USD 670)...

YABLOKO begins collecting comments and signatures to its amendments on the draft law “On Police”

Press Release, September 10, 2010.

YABLOKO begins collecting coments and signatures from the citizens and experts to its amendments to the draft law on police with the help of a specially created web-site. The web-site will be opened for comments until September 15. YABLOKO has already prepared a package of amendments to the draft law on police which was loudly announced by the government as a more democratic law than the present.

The draft was for the first time published in the Internet for a feed-back from the public. The developers of the law had stated that one of the key goals of the draft was creation of police instead of the present “militia”. However, experts, journalists and ordinary citizens were shocked by the draft as it provided unprecedented powers to the police envisaging virtually no control over it and considerably worsening the situation for the society. According to some experts, the law will turn the country into a large concentration camp...

YABLOKO made parliaments of Mordovia and Karachayevo-Cherkessia publish draft laws

Press Release, September 7, 2010.

Public Prosecutors of Mordovia and Karachayevo-Cherkessia submitted their orders to the parliaments of these republics requiring them to eliminate violations of the law "On Ensuring Public Access to Information About the Activities of State Bodies". From now on the parliaments of the republics are obliged to publish draft laws at their official websites.

In July, the Yabloko party forwarded to the Public Prosecutor General a list of the 29 regions violating the federal law, which from this year requires from the legislative assemblies to publish the draft laws in the Internet. YABLOKO’s activists say that publication of draft laws "is important for public control over the laws to be adopted"...

YABLOKO conducted a picket in support of deputy of the Tula City Duma

Press Release, September 7, 2010.

YABLOKO conducted a picket by representation of the Tula region in Moscow in support of deputy of the Tula City Duma from the YABLOKO party Vladimir Timakov. A criminal case was filed against Timakov for his criticism of the Governor of the Tula region Vyacheslav Dudka (“The Governor is responsible for the rise of corruption in the region”). It should be noted that, in accordance with Russian law, libel cases may be filed either within the criminal or the civil process. However, all the recent cases against journalists or dissenting people who dared to criticize the officials were raised within criminal process...

Vladimir Timakov is the only politician in the Tula region who dared to criticize the Governor. Timakov laid the blame for record high corruption in the region on Governor Dudka.

Timakov was already found guilty in two civil trials. He was also fined RUR 1.5 mln (approx. USD 500,000) for the moral damage to the Governor. The possessions in the flat where Timakov’s family lives (he has several children) is sequestered for the debt. The list of such property includes a fridge, a washing machine, books, icons, children’s furniture. Timakov also faces up to three years of imprisonment.

We demand to stop unlawful detentions and toughening of sentences!
Statement by YABLOKO’s Chairman, August 26, 2010.

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses its categorical protest in connection with a court’s sentence to renowned human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov. This sentence is another example demonstrating the use of force when citizens try to realise their constitutional rights. Grave violations of the law and the use of force in detentions and fraudulent evidence in trials have become an everyday practice for the interior. The courts acting in Stalin’s style are guided by the idea that the law enforcement are always right and protesting or dissenting citizens are necessarily criminals.

YABLOKO welcomes the decision by President Medvedev to suspend works in the Khimki Forest
Press Release, August 26, 2010.

“The YABLOKO party welcomes the decision by President Medvedev to suspend works in the Khimki Forest. We hope that the route of the new highway Moscow – St.Petersburg will be revised,” said YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin.

Mitrokhin also noted that YABLOKO has been fighting against the present project of the highway envisaging cutting of a substantial part of the Khimki Forest for three years already, since this project emerged.

Court’s sentence to Sergei Makhnatkin is unjust

Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman, August 16, 2010.

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO considers Sergei Makhnatkin (Ed. A passer-by arrested during breaking of a peaceful protest action in the centre of Moscow on December 31, 2010, who tried to protect a woman from violence by the police and sentenced to two years of imprisonment under a pretext of using violence against police) unfairly and unjustly convicted.

Police officers have been systematically demonstrating their extremely low qualification in dealing with unauthorized peaceful public actions, their inability to solve tasks without violence bordering on cruelty against women, elderly citizens and passers-by...

Radiological situation in Russia should be taken under control

Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman, August 13, 2010.

The YABLOKO Party has repeatedly drawn attention to the unacceptable negligence by the Russian authorities to ensuring of environmental safety of the population. Today we once again are drawing the attention of the authorities and the citizens to the danger of possible additional radiation exposure caused by the pyrogenic spread of radionuclides. Forest fires in Russia have already reached the Bryansk forests contaminated by Chernobyl’s fallout, and the forests around the city of Ozersk in the Chelyabinsk region polluted by the plutonium productions...

Sergei Mitrokhin demands from Public Prosecutor to file a criminal case against head of the company felling trees in Khimki Forest

Press Release, August 16, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin demanded from Public Prosecutor to file a criminal case against Alexander Semchenko, head of the Teplotekhnik company felling trees in Khimki Forest. In his interview to Komsomolskaya Pravda paper Semchenko told that he had organised an attack of football fans on the defenders of the forest.

Semchenko also admitted that he had employed a group of persons for provocations against ecologists and other citizens...

15,000 prisoners can burn alive

Press Release, August 9, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin demands from Minister of Extraordinary Situations Sergei Shoigu and President of the Republic of Mordovia Nikolai Merkushkin to adopt urgent measures for evacuation of the prisoners from the Potma prison camp encircled by forest fires. At present Mitrokhin is preparing an application to the Public Prosecutor demanding to conduct an audit on liquidation of the Potma-Barashyevo railroad which connected over 20 camps, and basing on the results of the audit to file a criminal case against the heads of the Federal Service for Execution of Punishment. Due to dismantling of the railroad 15,000 prisoners can die in fires...

Yevgenia Chirikova, her aid and YABLOKO’s activist detained and taken to court

Press Release, August 5, 2010.

Leader of the Movement in Protection of the Khimki Forest Yevgenia Chirikova, her aid Yaroslav Nikienko and YABLOKO’s activist and defender of Chirikova Artur Grokhovsky have been just detained when leaving the Khimki police department where Chirikova has been interrogated and are being taken to court. According to Grokhovsky, the court of the first instance will hear the case of disobeying the police when police was dispersing the activists from ecologists’ camp on July 28. Then police accused ecologists of burning fires. The detained were escorted to the local police department where they were detained for nine hours. The following day only ecologist Elena Maksimova was summoned to court.

Sergei Mitrokhin to President Medvedev: felling of forest in Khimki is fire hazardous

Press Release, August 5, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin urged Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to establish a moratorium on the felling of forests in the Khimki area "at least until the end of fires and lifting of the of the emergency situation regime in the Moscow region." The photographs attached to the letter show the signs of fire-hazardous activities in the work of woodcutters and securities protecting them, in particular, a fire they had made in their camp and cans with fuel for chainsaws simply scattered throughout the clearance.

"In spite of the order by the Moscow Region Governor Boris Gromov on limiting access of citizens to forests in the Moscow region, dozens of voluntary assistants to the Teplotekhnik company are supporting felling of the forest and their work can also contribute to fire development,” runs the statement...

YABLOKO conducted a picket in support of Yevgenia Chirikova

Press Release, August 4, 2010.

YABLOKO’s activists Olga Ushakova and Andrei Lazaryev conducted picketing of the Interior Affairs Department of the Moscow Region where the police took today Yevgenia Chirikova for interrogation. YABLOKO’s activists demanded to release the ecologist.

After the end of a press-conference in the Independent Press Centre the police virtually kidnapped Chirikova on the eyes of journalists. Without giving any explanations three policemen from the OMON division (the riot police) twisting her arms took Chirikova to their car (strange, but the car number was ordinary, not one of the special numbers belonging to police) while journalists and ecologists were pushed off with police chains...

YABLOKO’s picket: “Heads of the Khimki police to trial!”

Press Release, August 3, 2010.

...“We have such a situation in Khimki that the smallest gathering of people is prohibited and dispersed, while the efficiency of the police work from the point of view of the law and the citizens has been falling towards zero,” YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin told in his speech at the picket. According to Mitrokhin, an attack against journalist Mikhail Beketov is still uninvestigated (editor-in-chief of and independent Khimki Pravda paper defending the Khimki Forest who was beaten virtually to death and left to die. To-date Beketov is handicapped), and none of the policemen dared to opposed the attack of hooligans against the Khimki administration. “The Khimki police is not simply exercising arbitrary rule, it is even dangerous for the society,” Mitrokhin added...

“Now we have a so-called “mini-Stalinism” in Khimki: they can detain a person on the street under faked pretexts and get him imprisoned. We had this in our history only in Stalin’s period,” the ecologist said. She also said that the ecologists were not protesting against construction of a highway in general, “We only want the highway to change its route and go past the forest”. This is especially important, she added, when we have such extremely hot summer and many forests are on fire. “We should preserve every tree,” Chirikiva said...

Court ruled out Sergei Mitrokhin guilty of disobeying police orders. YABLOKO’s protest action

Press Release, August 3, 2010.

Yesterday court ruled out that Sergei Mitrokhin was guilty of disobeying police orders and organization of unsanctioned rally in defence of the Khimki Forest and sentenced to a fine RUR 500. The court’s decision stated that Sergei Mitrokhin organized an unsanctioned rally. When a policeman, according to the court’s statement, came up to him, gave his name and politely asked to leave the site of action, Mitrokhin refused to do this disobeying the police.The court included into the case a video material showing only policemen taking Mitrokhin into the police car. Moreover the video recording had been done from a long distance...

...At this moment YABLOKO is picketing by the Criminal Police Department of the Moscow Region protesting against arbitrary rule of the Khimki police. The activists are holding slogans “Heads of the Khimki police to trial!”, “Put an end to arbitrary rule by the Khimki police!”...

Mitrokhin is facing 15 days of arrest. Russia’s Ombudsman notified of detentions in Khimki

Press Release, August 2, 2010.

...“The second charge was fabricated right after I demanded to release me, as the first charge had already been announced,” Mitrokhin said. He also noted that the second charge may be needed so that to convoy him to court.

It should be also noted that the six activists with the same charges and detained together with Mitrokhin have been still kept in the police department for over three hours already in violation of the law.


Riot police breaks the rally of the defenders of the Khimki Forest, YABLOKO’s leader detained

Press Release, August 2, 2010.

...Ten minutes after the meeting of the ecologists began the police came to the site and began detaining all the men present at the meeting. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin was one of the first detainees. Wringing his hands the policemen forced him to come into their car making him sit on the floor, virtually in the luggage compartment...

More detains of the defenders of the Khimki Forest

Press Release, July 31, 2010.

One of the defenders of the Khimki Forest Gennadi Rogozin was detained by police for the second time on July 31.

On July 28 the riot police (OMON) broke into the defenders’ camp. Nine ecologists were kept in the police department throughout the whole night and driven to court the following morning. However, the judge heard only one case – that of Elena Maksimova – the rest were released without issuing any notifications of summoning them to court to some other date.

On the same evening the activists reported being under police surveillance. Policemen visited the activists’ homes and questioning their next-of-kin about the whereabouts of the activists.

Police begins persecutions against the defenders of the Khimki Forest

Press Release, July 30, 2010.

Police has begun persecution of the activists from the "In defense of the Khimki Forest" movement and Euvgenia Chirikova, the movement’s leader. According to the defenders of the forest, yesterday they found out that they were under surveillance, police officers came to their homes without informing their relatives of the purpose of the visit. Also the activists did not get any official notifications from the police.

"Yesterday, shortly after we came out of the court of the Khimki town, we found our that we were under surveillance. It a stout man in a white suit. However, we managed to escape him: luckily we quickly got into a taxi and headed to Moscow", Yaroslav Nikitenko, Aid of Euvgenia Chirikova said...

Sergei Mitrokhin applied to Prime Minister Putin and Public Prosecutor General Chaika in view of unlawful cutting of the Khimki Forest

Press Release, July 30, 2010.

Today on July 30, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin applied to Prime Minister Putin and Public Prosecutor General Chaika in view of unlawful cutting of the Khimki Forest.

According to the federal law "On Highways”, "cutting of the woods is only possible after obtaining a permission for construction of a highway. The Forestry Code requires that every user of the forests should obtain a land declaration. The normative acts of the town of Khimki require obtaining of a special cutting ticket, which should be supplied with a dendroplan and a tally sheet. According to our data, all of these documents are missing, thus cutting of the woods is unlawful,” runs Mitrokhin’s letter to Public Prosecutor General...

Sergei Mitrokhin stopped cutting of the trees in the Khimki Forest

Press Release, July 30, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and party activists once again managed to stop cutting of the woods in the Khimki Forest.

Mitrokhin told the workers about the order of Public Prosecutor to stop all the works. After this the driver of a harvester stopped his work and was going to leave the site. However, one of the guards from the private security company tried to stop him, however, the driver refused to resume work. At the same time the other guards were calling their chiefs...

The Phobos company continues eliminating the Khimki Forest despite Public Prosecutor’s ban

Press Release, July 30, 2010.

Despite Public Prosecutor’s ban the workers of the Phobos company constructing the Moscow-St.Petersburg highway continue cutting of the Khimki forest. Vyacheslav Sorokin, whose house is located in 200 meters from the Khimki Forest, informed YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin of it today...

Ecologists and civil activists detained in the Khimki Forest are facing 15 days of arrest

Press Release, July 29, 2010.

At present YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin is in Public Prosecutor’s office in Khimki filing an application of unlawful actions by the police.

The police confiscated mobile phones of nine detained ecologists and journalists, thus depriving them of an opportunity to get in touch with lawyers and get a legal consultation.

The police officer on duty told Mitrokhin that confiscation of mobile phones was lawful, and the activists are kept in the wards. The police issued protocols of administrative violation (disobeying the police orders) against them, which can involve such punishment as 15 days of arrest. The leader of the defenders of the Khimki Forest Yevgenia Chirikova (who is one of the nine detained ecologists) managed to tell Mitrokhin that the policemen referred to an order of the Moscow Region Governor Boris Gromov who “had prohibited any persons to appear in the Forest”...

Police breaks into ecologists’ camp

Press Release, July 28, 2010.

At night of July 28 special riot police (OMON) broke into the camp of the Khimki Forest defenders made close to the cutting site. The police detained 16 persons, including the leader of the ecologist Yevgeniya Chirikova and five journalists.

However, YABLOKO and ecologists continue defending the Khimki Forest. YABLOKO’s experts state that the highway Moscow – St.Petersburg can well take one of the alternative routs without going through the Khimki Forest which is acting as the “lungs” of the region. Cutting of the woods has been held without any permits. Representatives of the construction company did not come to the scheduled meeting with the ecologists and residents of Khimki where they had promised to show “all the due permits”.

Public hearings on the Khimki Forest postponed

Press Release, July 28, 2010.

The meeting of the residents of the Khimki city, the Moscow regions, and Sergei Mitrokhin with representatives of OOO Teplotekhnik conducting cutting of the woods in the Khimki Forest is postponed for an undetermined period.

At the agreed time (June 28, 5 p.m.) the residents of the city and YABLOKO’s leader and party activists came to the meeting. However, the doors were closed and a sheet of paper notifying that the meeting is “postponed” was pinned on the doors. The notification gave no time or date of the new meeting.

YABLOKO to participate in public hearings on the Khimki Forest

Press Release, July 28, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and party activists will participate in the meeting of the residents of the Khimki district with representatives of a contracting company eliminating the Khimki Forest. The hearings will take place at 5 p.m. in the Dom Kulturi Rodina (address: Khimki, Leninsky prospect 2, by the Khimki railway station in the Leo Tolstoy Park).

Please note that tonight despite an announced moratorium on construction works and cutting of the woods, OAO Teplotekhnik continued cutting of the trees. According to the witnesses the work was conducted under spotlights. It is expected that after public hearings the participants of the meeting will go to the place of cuttings so that to stop unlawful works.

Unlawful works in the place of destructed architectural heritage stopped

Press Release, July 26, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin stopped construction works in the place of destructed architectural heritage in Tishinsky lane, Moscow. Despite a ban of the Moscow regulator the builders began excavation works. After arrival of Sergei Mitrokhin the workers disappeared.

The building at Bolshoi Tishinsky 30/44 building 1, was built in the early 20th century by the architect Nirnzeye and was almost completely destroyed in 2008. Under the pretext of renovation the construction company left only a corner wall of the building. The residents of the area jointly with the YABLOKO party have been fighting against construction of a new building with a multi-level underground garage on the site of the destructed monument of architecture for two years. In early May 2010, head of the Moscow construction complex Vladimir Resin said that the contract with the developer - the Phobos company – was dissolved...

YABLOKO's activist detained in the Red Square

Press Release, July 26, 2010.

Today on July 26, a one-person picketing under the slogan “Medvedev, do not be a FSB puppet!” was conducted at the Red Square. YABLOKO’s Artur Grokhovsky was holding a placard picturing the “KGB men” - Felix Dzerzhinsky, Lavrenty Beria and Vladimir Putin – and a photograph of President Dmitry Medvedev tied to their fingers.

YABLOKO called the President not to sign the law broadening of the proxies of secret services. The police detained the activist who was picketing at the Red Square, broke the placard picturing the “KGB men” and their “puppet” President Medvedev. Also, allegedly a FSB (Federal Security Service) officer tried to wipe out all the records from the journalists’ cameras and recorders and also tried to break a camera...

Off with your hands from the defenders of the Khimki Forest!

Statement by the YABLOKO party, July 23, 2010.

...The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO calls the human rights community and democratic politicians to defend the constitutional rights of the Khimki activists and render them all possible assistance. This is the case, when Russia’s civil society has virtually shown itself and dared to resist the big money and the state machinery. Its support in this confrontation is far more important than hundreds of rallies in defense of democracy in general.

We also fully support the requirements of the defenders of the Khimki Forest. Destruction of a unique natural complex providing fresh air to the capital of Russia will bring to nothing all the talks about modernization and demonstrate to Russian citizens and the entire world the inability of the Russian state to modernise...

One-person picketing against broadening of the competence of secret services conducted by the Federation Council

Press Release, July 19, 2010.

One-person picketing against broadening of the competence of secret services was conducted by the Federation Council (the upper chamber of the Russian parliament) as the latter had to examine the draft law today on July 19. Artur Grokhovsky, Advisor to YABLOKO’s Chairman, was holding a huge placard (1.5 x 1 meters) picturing Felix Dzerzhinsky, the head of the KGB, Lavrenty Beria, Stalin’s closest accomplice standing behind mass-scale reprisals and Vladimir Putin with an inscription “The KGB men are for it!”...

Action in memory of Natalya Estemirova took place in Nevsky Prospect, St.Petersburg

Press Release, July 16, 2010.

An action in memory of renowned human rights activist Natalya Estemirova kidnapped and murdered a year ago in took place in Nevsky Prospect, St.Petersburg, on July 16, 2010. Activists from the YABLOKO party, Memorial and The House of Peace and Non-Violence dressed in T-shirts with a photograph of Natalya marched along the main street of the city Nevsky prospect and distributed leaflets about the killed human rights activist among passers-by. The latter asked questions about Natalya and about the news of the investigation...

Young YABLOKO activists detained for protesting against the secret services law by the parliament

Press Release, July 16, 2010.

Three activists of the Youth YABLOKO were detained by police by the State Duma (the Russian parliament) when attempting to conduct a protest action against introduction of amendments broadening the competence of secret services (FSB).

Today deputies of the State Duma are to consider the draft law in the final third reading. YABLOKO’s activists came to the State Duma disguised as prisoners with a placard, a scaling ladder and leaflets...

YABLOKO’s activists convicted for a one-person picket against the new law on secret services

Press Release, July 15, 2010.

Deputy Chairman of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO Galina Mikhalyova and young YABLOKO’s activist Igor Savyolov were found guilty of committing a misdemeanor and fined 500 rubles each. The cases of the other two activists - Maxim Kruglov and Arthur Grokhovsky - were postponed until July 23 as the policemen were late for the trial.
The decision states violation of Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences (Violation of the set order in organsing or conducting a gathering, rally, demonstration, march or picketing”).

YABLOKO’s activist had to stand before court for holding a one-person picket by the State Duma on June 11 - when the draft law for broadening of the proxies of the secret service (FSB) was examined by the Duma in the first reading. Galina Mikhalyova stood by the walls of the State Duma with a placard while of other party activists waiting for their turn at a distance. The police detained all the activists of YABLOKO despite the fact that a one-person picketing was conducted only by Galina Mikhalyova.

"The example of this particular case demonstrates that our courts are biased and not impartial. The court’s decision was not guided by fraudulent administrative violation cases provided by police rather than by Russian laws," Mikhalyova said...

Tula City Duma deputy persecuted for his criticism of the Governor’s work

Statement by the Tula branch of YABLOKO, July 15, 2010.

The Tula regional branch of the YABLOKO party expresses its deep concern with criminal prosecution of deputy of the Tula City Duma from our party Vladimir TImakov [launched under a pretext of a libel case].

Timakov gave his assessment of the Governor’s work at his post.

Actually Timakov’s statements are based on his believes, and, in our view, there are no grounds for criminal prosecution in our opinion no. The fact that the Investigation Committee with the Public Prosecutor's Office in the Tula region three times refused [the Governor] in launching a criminal case for the lack of the elements of crime [in such criticism] is one more proof of this.

In our opinion, this constitutes a demonstrative political "bashing" of a dissenting oppositional politician and journalist so that to force him stop his activities and give up his believes...

Sergei Mitrokhin: President crossed out the course towards modernisation

Press Release, July 15, 2010.

“The President’s statement crosses out the course towards modernisation he has proclaimed. Amendments proposed to the law on the Federal Security Service demonstrate that instead of building a modern state in Russia the President has been restoring the most archaic institutions of the totalitarian past,” YABLOKO’s leader said.

According to Mitrokhin no one but corrupted bureaucracy which is afraid of the people and tries to maintain at any price its power and riches accumulated with the help of this power needs these amendments.

Today President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said at a joint press-conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the draft law “has been developed on his order”. However, the draft law was submitted to the parliament by Chair of the Government Vladimir Putin...

Judge sends the cases of young YABLOKO activists to additional investigation

Press Release, July 14, 2010.

Judge Olga Borovkova sent the cases of three activists of the Youth branch of YABLOKO (Kirill Goncharov, Vladislav Pankov and Igor Savyelov), who had chained themselves on July 9 with handcuffs to the fence of the State Duma in protest against broadening of proxies of the Russian secret service (FSB). The judge detected numerous violations in issuing the protocols. Motivated decisions will be handed to Stanislav Gorlov who defends the activists tomorrow. Hearing of the case of the fourth activist Veronica Belozerskikh has not yet been scheduled yet...

Young YABLOKO activists are facing 15 days of arrest

Press Release, July 9, 2010.

The detained activists of the Youth YABLOKO and Artur Grokhovsky, Advisor to Sergei Mitrokhin, are facing 15 days of arrest in accordance with Article 19.3 of the Administrative Violation Code “Non-obeying to the lawful police order”.
Protocols on administrative violations by the activists were made in the Tverkoye police station, Moscow. “I access this as an act of moral pressure,” Artur Grokhovsky said over the phone.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin told that this constituted an attempt of intimidation of the activists as they had dared to oppose Vladimir Putin’s initiative...”

Activists of the Youth YABLOKO enchained themselves with handcuffs by the Russian parliament protesting against the new security service law

Press Release, July 9, 2010.

Four activists of the Youth YABLOKO were detained by police after they enchained themselves with handcuffs by the State Duma (the Russian parliament) protesting against the new security service (FSB, the former KGB) law. Artur Grokhovsky, Advisor to party Chair Sergei Mitrokhin, was also detained.
“YABLOKO has been conducting this action protesting against adoption of the draft law broadening the proxies of the FSB. Today deputies of the State Duma has to examine the draft law in the second reading. Artur Grokhovsky stood by the entrance to the parliament building with a placard picturing Byeria (Stalin’s main accomplice), Dzerzhinsky and Putin with an inscription “Amendments to the FSB law – the KGB men are for it!” with the signatures YABLOKO had collected against this law...

Investigation of Yuri Schekochikhin’s death should go on

Statement by the YABLOKO party. July 3, 2010.

July 3 marks seven years since the death of an outstanding journalist and fighter against corruption Yuri Schekochikhin.

On this day the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO considers it necessary to remind to Russia’s leadership that the circumstances of the death of Yuri Schekochikhin have not been determined.

The decision on termination of the investigation adopted by the Investigation Committee of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in 2009 demonstrates inability or lack of desire of the present Russian state to conduct a full-fledged investigation...

YABLOKO wins a case in the Constitutional Court

Press Release, June 22, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his satisfaction with the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation on the complaint from YABLOKO’s member Andrei Malitsky.

The Constitutional Court ruled out that some provisions on the Russian Federaiton law “On the Basic Guarantees of Franchise and the Right to Referendum” connected with a ban for the citizens residing in a foreign state to be members of electoral commissions. Being a Russian citizen Malitsky obtained in 2009 a residence permit in Lithuania. Due to this fact he was expelled from a territorial electoral commission in Moscow where he represented YABLOKO’s interests...

Svetlana Kuznetsova, head of the Soldiers’ Mothers faction on amendments to the law on the military service submitted to the Russian parliament

Press Release, June 9, 2010.

Svetlana Kuznetsova, head of the Soldiers’ Mothers faction in the YABLOKO party, says that “YABLOKO is categorically against the amendments referring to a legalized “buy-out” from the army service, as they are discriminatory and targeted at commercialization of the army. The authors of the amendments say that the state does not have enough money for a contract-based army; whereas every such one million roubles [about USD 30,000 paid by a young person wishing to avoid mandatory military service] will suffice for maintenance of two contract soldiers. Since 2001 YABLOKO has been insisting that the state has enough money on a contract army and our economists can prove that”...

Action against mandatory army conscription took place by the Ministry of Defence

Press Release, June 15, 2010

Action against mandatory army conscription organised by the Youth YABLOKO took place by the Ministry of Defence on June 15. Ten YABLOKO’s activists were holding a slogan “How many of us should die so that you abolish mandatory army conscription?” and also chanted “Away with mandatory army conscription, let’s transfer to a contract conscription!”...

...The picket resumed at the Gogol Boulvalrd. The organiser of the action Kirill Gontcharov stated that incessant chain of deaths of young conscripts made YABLOKO to hold such an action. He also noted that “due to corruption only children from poor families serve in the army”. “Instead of defending our motherland our soldiers have to build country houses for generals and clean water closets,” he added. He also said that “harassment of subordinates became a symbol of the Russian army”...

YABLOKO’s activists arrested by the Russian parliament for picketing against the FSB law finally released, however, are facing a trial

Press Release, June 11, 2010.

..Major Brezhnev personally participated in detaining Grokhovsky: first he dragged Artur to the police car and then hit him in the belly. Now Anton is heading to the hospital to certify the bruises.

Grokhovsky also told that in February he had been already arrested by the same policeman for one-person picketing. Due to the video recording made by YABLOKO Grokhovsky was acquitted by the court then. Grokhovsky hopes that the court will acquit the activists this time too, as the action was also recorded...

Liberal International to discuss arbitrary actions of Moscow police in breaking YABLOKO's picket

Press Release, June 11, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his indignation with police breaking of YABLOKO’s one-person picket and arresting the activists protesting against the amendments to the law on the Federal Security Service (former KGB) by the Russian parliament building. No permission or coordination with authorities is required for conducting one-person pickets in accordance with the Russian law. Nevertheless the picket was brutally broken and the activists were arrested.

Mitrokhin said that actions by police officers who arrested the activist holding the placard, as well as three other activists who were standing by were a rude violation of the Constitution and the law “On assemblies, meetings, demonstrations and pickets”...

Action “Preventing Extremism” brutally broken by police

Press Release, June 11, 2010. Video, photos.

Action against introduction of amendments on the law on the Federal Security Service (the former KGB), which YABLOKO attempted to hold today by the building of the State Duma (the Russian Parliament) was brutally broken by police. Despite of the fact that it was a one-person picketing (four activists had to replace each other in turn) and did not require any permissions or notifications from the authorities, four YABLOKO’s activists were arrested and taken to the local police department and a placard depicting the head of KGB Felix Dzerzhinsky, the closest accomplice of Stalin in setting terror in the country Lavrenty Beria, and Vladimir Putin and bearing a the words "The KGB people vote FOR it!" was confiscated.

On June 11, at 9.30 am, half an hour before the plenary session the Russian parliament had to start, First Deputy Chair of the Moscow Yabloko Galina Mikhalyova took her place by the main entrance to the parliament building with a placard depicting Felix Dzerzhinsky, Lavrenty Beria and Vladimir Putin against a black ground and a hand voting for them. “The law on preventing extremism. The KGB people vote FOR it!" ran the slogan under the picture. The Russian parliament will discuss this draft law in the first reading today...

Journalist and YABLOKO member Yuri Schekochikhin would have turned 60 today…

Grigory Yavlinsky’s letter to Vsevolod Bogdanov, Chair of Russia’s Journalists Union, June 9, 2010.

Yuri Schekochikhin is an event in the lives of all of us, an event both in our journalism and in politics. Whatever he did - wrote play scripts, engaged in journalist investigation or worked as a Russian parliament member – all was very different from how other people did this, all had an imprint of his personality, talent and his understanding of freedom and justice.

Yuri Petrovich was not merely a politician in the ordinary sense or the word, he understood life as the one who had the ability to transform it. A special atmosphere always emerged around him, and there was place for different people by his side. And he still unites us all, we do not simply keep memories of him, but feel his presence in our life.

Yuri Schekochikhin has always been and remains our friend.

Sincerely,
Grigory Yavlinsky

Action in memory of Larissa Yudina took place by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow

Press Release, June 7, 2010

Today, on June 7, on the tragic anniversary of the murder of leader of Kalmyk YABLOKO and oppositional journalist Larissa Yudina took place by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow. The participants of the action demanded to release the names of those who ordered the murder of Larissa Yudina, who, according to YABLOKO’s data, were determined by the investigation. “We can not rule out that [President of the Republic] Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was the one who personally ordered the murder,” Sergei Mitrokhin said at the picket.

Today it is the 12th anniversary since the murder of Larissa Yudina, the leader of Kalmyk YABLOKO, editor-in-chief of Sovietskaya Kalmykia Segodnya and main opponent of the President of the Republic Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. On this day YABLOKO’s activists brought portraits of their murdered colleague and lit candles by the Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow...

Mitrokhin promised that YABLOKO will hold the action by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia every year until those who ordered the murder are punished.

Breaking up of rallies means professional incompetence of the Russian government

Statement by the YABLOKO party. June 1, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO consders the reaction of the authorities to the protest actions that took place in Moscow, St.Petersburg and other Russian cities yesterday be unacceptable and absurd.

A deliberately tough use of obviously superior police forces against the groups of citizens who simply expressed their opinion without endangering anyone’s security represents a proof of inability of state officials, top officials inclusive, to adequately assess the situation in the country...

YABLOKO demands raising of children’s allowances to the subsistence minimum at picketing by the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development

Press Release. June 1, 2010

Today, on the International Children’s Day, the YABLOKO party conducted a series of one-person pickets by the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development demanding raising of children’s allowances to the child’s subsistence minimum. YABLOKO’s activists demonstrated what a person can buy with child’s allowance amounting to RUR 750 (approximately USD 25 per month).

The Moscow authorities did not give their permit to conduct this action. The activists held placards “Raise the allowance to the subsistence minimum!” and “Subsistence minimum of RUR 7,006 = children’s allowance of RUR 750?”...

Ombudsman’s Report for 2009 published

Press Release. May 28, 2010

Russia’s Ombudsman and one of the founders of the YABLOKO party Vladimir Lukin published Report - 2009. The Report deals with the most acute problems of human rights in Russia, provides information on Ombudsman’s activities, including dealing with citizens’ requests, interaction with the state bodes and civil society institutes, analysis of the present law in the field of human rights, as well as proposals on its further development. The key factor determining the composition of Lukin’s Report was the dynamics of developments in the field of human rights in Russia...

Nomination of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s candidacy by the Russian Chess Federation to the post of FIDE President means a disgrace for Russia

Decision of YABLOKO’s Bureau from May 22, 2010. May 31, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO has already made several statements that Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s regime in the Republic of Kalmykia is one of the ugliest developments in Russia’s political history of the past two decades representing a disgusting mixture of authoritarian rule, corruption and criminal.

Fight against this regime has in 1998 taken the life of Larissa Yudina, Chair of the Kalmyk regional branch of YABLOKO, and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s aid was found guilty of this murder. The political responsibility for this crime lies, in our view, completely on Kirsan Ilyumzhinov...

In support of Mezhduryechinsk miners

Statement by the YABLOKO party. May 29, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO once again conveys its condolences to the relatives and next-of-kin of the miners killed during the accident at the Raspadskaya mine. Regardless of the specific reasons leading to the accident at the mine, it is obvious that the problem is system-driven. This is confirmed by another accident at the Alexeyevskaya mine which followed the accident at Raspadskaya.

The owners of the mines set such rules and regulations which make the miners to neglect the safety requirement and risk their lives so that to get more or less adequate wages. A civilised dialogue with the employer turns out to be impossible: the owners of the mines being aware that the miners will not be able to find another job talk with them from a position of force. The possibilities of a labour dispute or a strike are restricted by law...

The General Plan of Moscow Development signed by the city authorities to be disputed in court

Press Release. May 28, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will dispute in court the General Plan of Moscow. “Procedural violations in development and adoption of the Plan were considerable. We shall apply to court as soon as the General Plan is published,” Mitrokhin said...

Mitrokhin also offered to the Moscow residents whose interests will be affected by the Plan to apply to YABLOKO for help...

Absurd and discriminatory norms of the law “On the Basic Guarantees of Franchise…” should be abolished

Statement by the YABLOKO party, May 25, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses support to Andrei Malitsky in his litigation of the norm of the Federal Law “On the Basic Guarantees of Franchise and the Right to Participate in a Referendum”.

According to the present norm of the law, a citizen of the Russian Federation having residence permits in other states is not allowed to be member of electoral commission...

The first suit against the State Plan of Moscow Development motioned

Press Release. May 18, 2010

The YABLOKO party has motioned a suit in the first instance court demanding to oblige the Moscow authorities to provide a state expertise the State Plan of Moscow Development. “According to our information, the State Plan of Moscow Development has not received a positive conclusion from the state expertise in spite of the fact that Mosgosekspertiza (Moscow State Expertise Agency) under the Moscow Government was mandated to conduct it. As far as we know, most experts were dissatisfied with the solution of transport problems in the new plan,” runs the statement signed by YABLOKO’s Chair Sergei Mitrokhin...

Miners’ demands should be satisfied

Statement by the YABLOKO party. May 17, 2010

...This problem can be solved only via a dialogue with the workers. Russian large business treating independent trade unions like enemies will no go for such a dialogue, therefore, creation of conditions for such a dialogue should become a direct responsibility of the authorities of all levels.

Miners have the right to fight for safe working conditions and decent living. The state must make a radical revision of the labour law and change its attitude to the regulators that have to control implementation of the law.

We are calling President of Russia to create a special commission for examination of the justified claims of the miners and development of social support measures for their families from the federal budget...

The March of Changes took place in Moscow

Press Release, May 1, 2010

About 1,200 people participated in the March of Changes organised by YABLOKO on May 1.

The columns of demonstrators with YABLOKO’s flags and white balloons marched from the Maly Theatre towards the Lubyanka square. The leaders of the party, human rights activists and ecologists held a slogan “For the Changes!”

“For the Changes! For Russia! For YABLOKO! We are tired of stagnation! No to oligarchia, yes to democracy!” chanted the demonstrators. When the columns of demonstrators approached the Federal Security Service building a slogan “Away with the power of the KGB!” was heard...

Renowned human rights activists, ecologists and residents of the Rechnik village to participate in the March of Changes

Press Release, April 30, 2010

The May 1 March of Changes organised by YABLOKO will end by a rally. The head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Ludmila Alexeyeva, the leader of the movement For the Protection of the Khimki Forest Eugeniya Chirkova and leaders of the initiative group of the Rechnik village will speak at the rally.

The participants of the march will gather by the Maly Theatre at 10:30 a.m. The march towards the Lubyanka Square will begin at 11:00 a.m.
A rally by the Solobetsky Stone at the Lubyanka Square will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The participants of the action will get a budge “I what changes!” The rally will end by a concern of the Moscow rock group Sobaki Kachalova.

On the need to maintain and develop labour protection system in Russia

Statement by the YABLOKO party, April 28, 2010

...Most of violations of the labour rights are connected with non-observance of the labour protection law. Direct loss from occupational traumatism in the Russian Federation is 250 times higher than in the US and the EU countries. Also the Russian labour law has many gaps leading to mass-scale lawlessness of the workers.

For example, the Russian Labour Code does not contain a notion of labour contract. The Code does not envisage the responsibility of the employer to provide work to the employee. The owner of the company is not liable by his income or property for the company’s performance and damage to the health and life of the workers. Thus, the employers are, on one hand, often interested in bankruptcy of their companies and even prepare such bankruptcies, on the other hand, they neglect labour protection norms considering them unprofitable...

Amendments to the law on the Federal Security Service constitute a political provocation against President of Russia

Statement by the YABLOKO party, April 27, 2010

The YABLOKO party demands from the State Duma to decline the draft law envisaging broadening of competence of the Federal Security Service (FSB) connected with the so-called “special preventive measures” against extremism.

The draft law stipulating that the FSB has the right to announce to the Russian citizens official warnings for the actions that can allegedly cause extremism and arrest them for 15 days for non-obeying to the lawful demand by the FSB officer creates grounds for violation of the law by the FSB staff and is targeted against the dissenting.

Taking into account the lack of transparency and control of the Russian secret services and an extremely wide interpretation of the notion “extremist activity”, as well as systematic bans on rallies and pickets the draft law initiated by the Russian government provides unlimited prospects for security services’ arbitrary rule.

The sanction for non-obeying the warning distorts the legal liability principle, as the liability takes place in case of a definite wrongdoing. The proposed norm envisages in some cases (e.g., for participation in the actions that are not agreed upon with the authorities) even tougher liability for the same violations than envisaged in the present law...

The residents of the Rechnik village handed a letter of appreciation to Sergei Mitrokhin

Press Release, April 23, 2010

Yesterday, on April 22, the meeting of the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO discussed the situation in the Rechnik village.

Ludmila Gaiduk, the leader of the initiative group of the residents of the village which had had suffered reprisals from the Moscow authorities, made a speech at the meeting. She expressed gratitude to YABLOKO for protection of the village and its residents.

Gaiduk handed to Sergei Mitrokhin a letter of appreciation. “Thanks to your speech at the State Council meeting and in the mass media, organisation of picketing in protection of property rights and multiple statements by YABLOKO’s activists we managed to get attention from the country leader to our problem and pulling down of houses was stopped,” runs the letter...

The residents of the Rechnik village to award Sergei Mitrokhin a certificate of honour

Press Release, April 21, 2010

The upcoming meeting of the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO will discuss the situation in the Rechnik village. The residents of the village are going to express their gratitude to Sergei Mitrokhin for protection of their rights and are going to award him a certificate of honour.

Also the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO will introduce amendments into the provisions on the Public Consultative Council of Political Parties with the Moscow City Duma. These amendments have to considerably broaden the proxies of the Council...

The Russian authorities should take up responsibility for prevention of violence in Kyrgyzstan
Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman, April 19, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses its extreme concern by the growth of havoc and violence in Kyrgyzstan, which also led to the acts of violence and robbery against Russian citizens and ethnic Russians living in Kyrgyzstan.

In the situation of abrupt weakening of the power and virtual negligence by the law enforcement, nationalistic bashing can end in multiple victims. The duty of the Russian authorities is to prevent murders of our compatriots, as well as the citizens of Kyrgyzstan and all other nations that are left without protection.

We are calling President of Russia and Prime Minister of Russia to take under their personal control the issue of preventing mass killings in Kyrgyzstan, make corresponding public statements and use all the leverages so that to influence the situation...

Arrest of scientists in St.Petersburg discredits presidential policy
Statement of the YABLOKO party, April 15, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO calls to release St.Petersburg scientists Eugeni Afanasyev and Svyatoslav Bobyshev.

Considering the “practices” of work of the Federal Security Bureau in the recent years we have all the grounds to state that the accusations set against the scientists in their alleged transfer of state secrets to China are groundless.

Any investigation that the law enforcement consider necessary can be performed without bringing the scientists in custody. We consider such measure of restraint as excessive and demonstratively repressive by nature...

YABLOKO joins the action of the Russian motorists
Statement of YABLOKO's Chairman, April 14, 2010

The YABLOKO party supports the action of the Federation of Russia’s Motorists targeted at introducing amendments into the traffic rules regulating the use of special signals on officials’ cars.

The recent developments on the Russian roads, in particular, a scandal with Presidential Advisor (the post represents virtually a kind of honourable discharge) abusing his right of preferential passage shows the importance of this action and its public importance...

The leader of Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO win the libel case initiated by Yekaterinburg Mayor

Press Release, April 2, 2010

Today, on April 2, Yekaterinburg district court turned down the libel claim motioned by the city Mayor Arkady Chernetsky against deputy of the city Duma and leader of the local branch of YABLOKO Maxim Petlin. The court charged the Mayor RUR 20,000 (about USD 700) for compensation of the legal costs incurred by Maxim Petlin.

Chernetsky started a legal case against Petlin after the latter said in the TV programme that Chernetsky had “sold half of kindergartens buildings”. The Mayor called this phrase a libel and motioned a libel case against Petlin. The second defender in the court was Rossiya television channel which had broadcasted Petlin’s interview and showed an item on alienation of large number of kindergartens in favour of Chernetsky’s family members...

Sergei Mitrokhin: Murderers of Chechen farmers should be punished

Press Release, April 1, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded to the head of the Investigative Committee at the Public Prosecutor’s Office Alexander Bastirkin a second address demanding to start criminal persecutions on the murder of Chechen farmers gathering herbs by the Arshty village in Ingushetia on February 11-12...

Mitrokhin’s letter based on the facts obtained during investigation of the Memorial human rights centre. Memorial proved that the versions voiced by the top officials that the militants had allegedly used the civilians as a shield and that people had been killed due to the air strikes were incorrect...

“I realise that after yesterday’s statement by Umarov [where he took the responsibility for the acts of terror in the Moscow Metro] the Investigative Committee may have psychological difficulties with the adoption of such a decision, however, this body has to be guided by lawful interests of the citizens protected by law rather than by bandits’ provocative statements,” runs Mitrokhin’s letter...

Russia’s Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin sends a letter to Public Prosecutor in defence of the Khimki forest

Press Release, March 25, 2010

Russia’s Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin asked Public Prosecutor Yury Chaika to examine whether the government’s decision to construct a highway Moscow – St.Petersburg that has to go through the Khimki forest was lawful.

In accordance with the order of the Government the lands of the Khimki forest were transferred to the category of “industrial lands”.

In his letter to Public Prosecutor Vladimir Lukin noted that the Khimki forest is a protected natural territory in accordance with the Forestry Code, thus any cuttings should be prohibited there...

Criminal persecution against three activists of the Youth YABLOKO in Omsk

Press Release. March 19, 2010

Three activists of the Omsk Youth YABLOKO organisation arrested at night of March 18 are have been still detained. The Main Interior Department informs that they are accused of vandalism, however, the local police department which is detaining the activists denies this and promises to release the activists soon.

An annual action in support of freedom of speech in Belarus has been held at night March 18 – 19. This is a part of international campaign European Youth Against the Belarus Dictatorship. The participants of the performance gag statues with banners saying “Freedom to Belarus!”

Omsk YABLOKO activists Anton Zhebrun, Mikhail Maglov and Andrei Yermilov were arrested by police when they were gaging a Dostoyevsky statue. They were escorted to the local police department Centralnoye, where they were kept the whole night without water and food. Anton Zhebrun had a heart attack, the police called an ambulance. However, the policemen did not allow the young people to make calls via their mobile phones...

Officials offer apology to YABLOKO’s ecologist

Press Release. March 10, 2010

Officials from Administration of the Lomonosovsky District of the Leningrad region offered their apology to Alexander Senotrusov, deputy head of YABLOKO’s Green faction, for their intention to dismiss him from school where he had been working as a teacher and their suspension of functioning of a children’s club where he also worked. Persecutions against YABLOKO’s activist began after his interview to the NTV television channel.

On March 7, NTV released a piece devoted to the practices of unlawful construction of cottages in the natural reserves. Alexander Senotrusov told the journalists about unlawful construction at the Lebyazhiye village situated on Gulf of Finland shore.

After this the district administration began persecutions against the teacher. Local bureaucrats were going to dismiss Alexander Senotrusov as redundant and also cut off electricity in the children’s club where he worked.

YABLOKO protests against sending schoolchildren to the barracks

Statement by the YABLOKO party. February 26, 2010

The YABLOKO party expresses its resolute protest against the plans of the Moscow government to restore the [Soviet] system of preservice military training with regular encampments of schoolchildren and introduction of the fundamentals of the military service as a subject in the school curriculum.

We think that the Concept of Preservice Training of the Young People in Moscow Until 2020 endangers life and health of the young Muscovites and is targeted at conservation of the present problems rather than reconstruction of the army, which inevitably leads to further degradation of the armed forces.

The present system of conscription to the Armed Forces of Russia serves only for justification of the existence of the Russian military bureaucracy and their deriving profits from gratuitous soldiers’ labour. Mass-scale violations of the rights of the young people of the conscription age and harassment – derision, beatings and blackmail – have become a daily reality in the army.

Liberals Give Police Tips on Reforming

The Moscow Times, February 26, 2010

By Alexander Bratersky

President Dmitry Medvedev's police reforms will turn into a sham if the public is excluded from the process and other law enforcement agencies are left untouched, opposition politicians and human rights activists said Thursday.

“It is impossible to reform the Interior Ministry without reforming the prosecutor's office and the justice system,” Yabloko party leader Sergei Mitrokhin said at a round table organized by the Moscow police to discuss the reforms with the public...

YABLOKO to organise round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society”

Press Release. February 24, 2010

Round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society” will be conducted on the initiative of Andrei Babushkin, Deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO and Co-Chair of the Human Rights faction of the party in the press centre of the Moscow Interior Department, on Thursday, February 25.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will participate in the round table. Other guest speakers are:
Ludmila Alexeyeva, the Moscow Helsinki Group,
Valery Gribakin, head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the Interior Ministry of the RF,
Alexander Zharov, Ombudsman for the Moscow Region,
Alexander Zimin, leading expert of the Moscow University of the Interior Ministry,
Svetlana Gannushkina, Grazhdanskoye Sodeistviye (Civil Support)
Vladimir Lukin, Russia’s ombudsman,
Alexander Muzikantsky, Moscow ombudsman,
Ella Pamfilova, Civil Society and Human Rights Council under the President of the RF,
Lev Ponomaryov, For the Human Rights movement,
Genry Reznik, Moscow Bar Association...

Picketing in Ufa: “Decent Pensions to the Military Pensioners!”

Press Release. March 1, 2010

Picketing for the right of the military pensioners to decent pensions took place in the centre of Ufa (Bashkiria) on February 27.

The picket was organised by the Bashkirian regional branch of the YABLOKO party. The picket was conducted under the slogan “Decent Pensions to the Military Pensioners!”

In spite of the fact that 30 activists had to participate in the action, the actual number of participants grew to 50. Citizens dissatisfied with the actions of Bashkirian government, administration of Ufa and the law enforcement also joined the picket...

Picket against discrimination of military pensioners in Blagoveschensk

Press Release. February 26, 2010

Picket against discrimination of military pensioners took place in Blagoveschensk (the Amur Region) on February 23 (Defender of the Fatherland Day).

The action was organised by the Amur Region branch of YABLOKO. The city government gave a permission to conduct the action in the center of the city...

Despite preliminary announcements of the action none of the local journalists risked to go against Governor’s order and report on the action in the media...

YABLOKO continues “Decent Pensions to the Military” campaign

Press Release. February 24, 2010

Rallies and pickets took place in different Russia’s cities within the framework of YABLOKO’s campaign “Decent Pensions to the Military” on February 23, the Defender of the Fatherland Day.

About thousand people came to the rally in Lipetsk demanding to raise scanty military pensions. Military pensioners, YABLOKO’s activists and CPRF activists held slogans “Putin to Dismissal!”, “Military Pension – a Disgrace of the Government!”...

Four pickets were organised in Novgorod: YABLOKO’s activists distributed leaflets and collected signatures under the address to the Russian President. The residents of the city even queued at one of the pickets located in the centre of the city so that to put their signatures under an address to Dmitry Medvedev demanding to change the system of calculation of military pensions...

YABLOKO’s activists leave the court protesting against collusion of the judge with OMON

Press Release. February 23, 2010

The arrested activists – YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin, General Major Anton Goretsky and Artur Grokhovsky, aid of YABLOKO’s leader, spent over an hour in the district court waiting for hearings on their case. After an hour expired they went to the courtroom to find out when the hearings were to take place. However, they saw a judge discussing something with the OMON policemen who were witnesses on the case. According to Grokhovsky, several policemen were standing by the judge’s table and one of them was even sitting on the table. However, the judge demanded to close the door and not to interfere into the discussion.

YABLOKO’s activists left the court in protest against collusion of the judge and the police, despite resistance of the policemen who brought them to the court. “I think that what has happened is a manifestation of an arbitrary rule and also a humiliation to General Goretsky who on the Day of the Defender of the Fatherland was kept in the police station for three hours and then kept in court,” Mitrokhin said. “The judge not only behaved incorrectly towards us, but even tried to make a collusion with the witnesses who were actually a party in the case,” he noted.

YABLOKO’s leader and General Major arrested for picketing in protection of military pensioners’ rights

Press Release. February 23, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and leader of the Moscow Region YABLOKO General Major Anton Goretsky were arrested for conducting a picket in protection of the military pensioners’ rights that had not been coordinated with the authorities. The local authorities declined YABLOKO’s application to conduct picketing by the Ministry of Defence on February 23 (the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland). However, the same action had been allowed on January 20.

The participants of the picket held slogans “Scanty Military Pensions – a Disgrace to the State!” when about 15 OMON policemen arrested YABLOKO’s activists and drove them to the local police station.

YABLOKO insists that the Chair of the Investigative Committee at the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation should take under control investigation of a killing of civilians in Ingushetia

Press Release. February 17, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin asked Alexander Bastyrkin, Chair of the Investigative Committee at the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, to take under his personal control investigation of a killing of civilians on the Chechen-Ingush border during special operation on February 11 – 12, 2010.

“The investigation conducted on February 13 – 14 by the Memorial human rights centre showed that the versions worded by the officials – that civilians had been used by the militants as a human shield and died because of the air-to-ground attack – were incorrect,” ran the letter...

At least 70 local civilians engaged in agricultural works turned out to be in the area of a special operation. The authorities had the information about their work in the area, as they had given a special permit for agricultural works to the local residents there, however, the officials did not take measures so that to evacuate people to a safe place. At least four persons were killed. According to the Memorial’s data they were gunned at a short range and possibly fired “insurance” shots afterwards.

One more provocation against Maxim Reznik, leader of St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO

Press Release. February 17, 2010

On February 17 (about 7 a.m.) Olga Galkina, deputy of the municipal council of the Morskoi district from the YABLOKO party found out leaflets on the block of flats where she lived running that police was allegedly looking for a “dangerous criminal Maxim Lvovich Reznik accused of grave crimes”... The leaflets also called the citizens to call the telephone numbers indicated in the text so that to help the police to arrest a “dangerous criminal”. The given telephone numbers turned out to be the numbers of the local police department, St.Petersburg’s YABLOKO office and the school where Maxim works as a teacher of history...

“It is obvious that this mean action has been paid for and is aiming at exerting psychological pressure on myself and my relatives. It is especially mean that these people indicated telephone number of the school where I work,” Reznik said. “After today’s provocation I can not say that the December and January incidents [when Reznik was arrested by police when he was going home from a supermarket for alleged “drinking alcohol in a public place” and attack on their family car] were a mere coincidence.”

The leader of Gelendzhik YABLOKO is forced to quit his job because of a rally

Press Release, February 12, 2010

On January 31, 2010, Gelendzhik YABLOKO conducted a meeting of protest against destruction of the Utrish relict lagoons, where the Presidential Property Management Department planned to build a “sports and recreation complex” and Administration of the Krasnodar Area – commercial buildings. Public protest action took place by the city Administration building.

And already on February 5, Sergei Buldakov, leader of the local YABLOKO branch was informed that he was transferred to another work place located in 57 km from his current place. Alexander Umitbayaev, Director General of the Vodokanal municipal state company, where Buldakov worked informed Buldakov of this transfer.

Memorial’s lectures in YABLOKO. The History of the Soviet Terror

Annoucement, February 4, 2010

We are proud to announce that we are launching lectures of Memorial heads and experts within the programme of our Evening University.
Please find below the schedule of the first lectures
...

Please also note that you can see Memorial’s exhibition A History of an Execution at YABLOKO’s office...

Governor Gromov motions a libel suit against Sergei Mitrokhin

Press Release, February 1, 2010

Governor of the Moscow Region Boris Gromov motioned a libel suit against YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin who had laid blame for a physical attack on Editor-in-Chief of Khimskinskaya Pravda oppositional paper Mikhail Beketov. The official claims compensation of RUR 500,000 (about USD 16,600) for the moral damage.

Sergei Mitrokhin stated that the party had grounds to think that “Administration of the Khimki city district and personally Head of Administration Strelchenko supported by Governor Gromov are behind this crime” during an action held on November 16, 2009 one year after the attack. A video record of Sergei Mitrokhin’s speech published at YABLOKO’s web-site was used by the Governor as an evidence of libel.

On November 13, 2008, Editor-in-Chief of Khimskinskaya Pravda oppositional paper Mikhail Beketov who had been opposing the construction of a paid highway Moscow – St.Petersburg, was found unconscious in the yard of his house. Doctors stated a severe head injury, multiple factions and injuries. Despite treatment Beketov remains a handicapped – he can not take care of himself and his speech functions have not restored. The action in support of Beketov was held under the slogans “Attack on Beketov Is an Attack on the Freedom of Speech” and “Attack on Beketov Is Political Terror”.

Social orphanage Zhizn (Life) in St.Petersburg needs your support!

February 2, 2010

Social orphanage Zhizn (Life) gives shelter and normal living conditions to orphans and social orphans. The orphanage was founded over 15 years ago and helped to about 600 children. The orphanage does not get any state aid and has been financed by private donations only.

At present the orphanage has to move to a new place and its expenditures have abruptly grown. Zhizn would be grateful for any aid, as it is moving to empty flats. For bank transfers pls use the following banking details (it is important to indicate that it is charity).

Even if you do not have a possibility to help us financially, you can help to the orphanage by spreading information about it.

See also:

Youth YABLOKO organisation of St.Petersburg for the protection of an orphanage. Press Release. September 8, 2009

Picketing in favour of Rechnik took place by the building of the Russian Government

Press Release, January 29, 2010

Today on January 29, 2010, the residents of the bulldozed Rechnik village together with YABLOKO activists organised a mobile picket in the form of automobile race. Since 2-30 p.m. picketing took place by the RF Government’s building. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitorkhin took place in the action.The participants of the picket hold a placard running “Yes to the amnesty of dachas!” and picturing President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin.

“We consider all the developments in Rechnik complete lawlessness, as not only a law on the “amnesty” of dachas but also a number of other laws make bureaucrats to file property title on land and houses in such cooperatives as Rechnik,” Mitrokhin told to journalists. “We think that this lawlessness is performed in the interests of bureaucracy and large business which would like to use this territory. The state demonstrates its cynical attitude to the people who with their own labour made money for construction of their private houses on legally purchased plots of land,” he added.

more

See also:

'Selective justice' in Moscow as houses razed overnight. Reuters. Jan.28, 2010

Brief Outline of Sergei Mitrokhin’s Report at the State Council meeting

January 22, 2010

The key problem of Russia’s political system is monopolism which manifests itself in three major ways:

1) bodies of power and parliaments of all levels demonstrate monopoly of one party representing the interests of bureaucracy and large-scale business merged with it;
2) complete dominance of the executive over the judicial authority;
3) dictate of one social class – the bureaucracy – over all other social groups.
Thus, the present political system generally reproduces the Soviet system, with its key flaw – the monopoly of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on power.
Such monopoly led to the insensibility of the political system of the USSR to the challenges of the time. Attempts to reform the system were considerably belated and that, consequently, led to a collapse of the USSR.

Assessment of Russia’s Present Political System and the Principles of Its Development. Brief note for the State Council meeting (January 22, 2010) by Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky, member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee. January 22, 2010

...In the absence of serious attention to the raise of political culture and freedom of speech, elections in our country will become a fest of demagogues and populists killing the system.

The main problems and goals of the society and the state in the field of creation of modern political system and political reform do not represent a mere correction, they mean bringing of life and sense into Russian politics.

Only in this case it will be of interest for the people and will be worthy of their attention. To achieve this we should first of all raise the level of public consciousness and open opportunities for public participation in the power and politics.

We think that to prevent dissolution of the Russian political system in 2010 – 2012 we need to undertake the following gradual but nonetheless decisive steps...

The