Press Release, 18.02.2021

Photo: Anna Cherepanova and Ksenia Cherepanova / photo from Anna Cherepanova’s personal page on Facebook

On 17 February, protocols of administrative offence were drawn against  Anna Cherepanova, Chair of the Novgorod branch of Yabloko and deputy of the City Duma, as well as Ksenia Cherepanova, head of the regional branch of Yabloko’s Anti-Corruption Policy Centre. The protocols were drawn up on an administrative offense under Article 20.2 Part 5 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation (“Violation of the established procedure for organising or holding a meeting, rally, demonstration, procession or picketing”). According to the police, Yabloko members committed the offense during a protest action on 23 January, 2021.

The activists of the regional branch of the party emphasise that the protocols were drawn up by Police Department No. 1 of Novgorod the next day after submitting a notification to the city administration with a request to agree a procession in memory of murdered politician Boris Nemtsov and the rally “For Freedom and Against Repression”. The actions have to take place on February 27, the day of murder of Boris Nemtsov.

“I regard the actions of the authorities as political pressure on the Novgorod regional branch of the Yabloko party and on me personally and on my relatives. In addition, the police officer asked me to give an explanation about my post on social networks, where I informed about the filing of a notification about the March on 27 February and a rally in memory of Boris Nemtsov “For Freedom and Against Repression”. I am sure that filing a notification to the Mayor’s Office was the real reason for today’s invitation to the police department and drawing up of the protocol [of an administrative offense]. They are trying to intimidate us in this way,”Anna Cherepanova, leader of the Novgorod branch of Yabloko, said.

It should be noted that Yabloko organises actions in memory of  Boris Nemtsov in 21 cities.