Russian authorities have launched a new criminal probe
against environmental activist Suren Gazaryan after he led
an inspection of a public shore near what we believe is President
Vladimir Putin's Black Sea dacha for violations. The proceedings
are an attempt to stop the activist's efforts to expose illegal
palaces built on public funds or land and cutting off access
to a public shore.
The case against the Krasnodar activist was fabricated based
on false accusations by the security guards at the dacha that
Gazaryan had allegedly threatened them with murder.
Suren Gazaryan and several other activists were on a Black
Sea public shore on August 2 inspecting what turned out to
be an illegal pier being constructed in secret next to what
we believe is President Vladimir Putin's dacha in the Gelendzhik
area.
Previously activists have been detained near the dacha on
several occasions, including by Russia's secret service officers
whose job it is to guard Russia's top rulers.
According to the police decree launching the latest case,
Gazaryan "began to threaten (guard) Pirogov with murder
while swinging at him with a rock, thereby exerting a frightening
psychological pressure on him" while on the August 2
inspection.
Gazaryan is now facing a probe into alleged threat of murder,
article 119 of the Russian criminal code, which can result
in up to two years in jail.
The fabrication of this case is a clear attempt to jail and
silence Gazaryan, who has already been convicted of hooliganism
on equally ridiculous grounds after inspecting an illegal
fence around the dacha of Governor Alexander Tkachyov and
given a three-year suspended sentence.
Even if the latest probe does not result with incarceration,
the judge may convert the suspended sentence into a real jail
term, punishing the activist for exposing illegal lavish palaces
and total disregard for law by Russia's rulers.
What really happened on August 2 was that several guards,
who are armed and have no right to harass people on public
land that must be accessible by law, were the ones picking
a fight with activists, threatening them and pushing them
to leave the area.
The shore where the incident occurred is completely open
to access and there are no signs indicating that the land
is guarded by anybody's private militia.
The latest probe is based entirely on false accusations of
the security guards, just like in previous cases against activists,
including administrative arrests that lasted up to 15 days.
In court, their testimonies are given full credit while other
witnesses are rejected.
Illegal construction of private mansions by powerful men
who claim to be Russia's public servants is rampant in the
environmentally sensitive Black Sea region. Construction frequently
occurs in state protected parks and public forests that must
be open for access to all citizens by law.
Suren Gazaryan is required by police to attend a session
of questioning regarding the alleged death threat on September
4. He can be kept in custody before trial which has turned
into a common practice for persecution of Russian opposition
activists.
See also:
Protection
of Environment
Pickets in support of Gazaryan
and Dutlov take part in different Russian cities. Press Release,
March 17, 2012
Environmentalist
Suren Gazaryan and lawyer Viktor Dutlov get ten days of imprisonment
on a framed-up case. Press Release, March 14, 2012
Charges
brought against Eugeny Vitishko, YABLOKO candidate to the
State Duma
YABLOKO
campaign unfairly targeted
Yabloko
demands investigation of unlawful detention of its activists
Press
conference “Black Sea Palaces and Their Hosts”
Are
Prisoners of Conscience Only in Moscow?
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