Press Release, 16.06.2017

Dmitry Myakshin, 17-year-old activist of the St. Petersburg Youth Yabloko, was arrested at the protest action in St.Petersburg on 12 June. He is suspected of attacking a police officer during the action. At the same time, it is clear from the video of Myakshin’s detention that he did not attack anyone – the policeman got injuries while falling on the ground trying to detain the teenager. Also a search was conducted in Myakshin’s home.

The St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko spread a statement of MPs of St.Petersburg’s Legislative Assembly Mikhail Amosov and Boris Vishnevsky, running that there were no grounds for prosecuting Dmitry Myaksin: “The information we possess does not confirm the fact of any criminal or administratively punishable acts on his part. We insist that the case of Dmitri Myakshin be taken under the personal control of the city Public Prosecutor and the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, so that all the rights of the minor be guaranteed separately. ”

According to Boris Vishnevsky, what happened was a pure accident, and could be interpreted as “innocent harm”. The Criminal Code prohibits any criminal prosecution for this (Article 5 Part 2 of the Criminal Code). “Certainly, we will render all possible assistance to Dmitry, certainly, we will not abandon him in trouble,” Vishnevsky added.

Assessing the protest action in St.Petersburg of 12 June when over 500 people were detained, Boris Vishnevsky said that the police had absolutely no grounds for dispersing the action, since the protesters did not violate public order. At the same time, the deputy laid the blame for the consequences on those who called on young people to go to unauthorised protest actions. “But somehow, when it comes to helping the detained participants of the rally, these people disappear,” Vishnevsky said.

In the Krasnodar Territory, Alexander Korovainy, history teacher of a local high school and leader of the Yeysk city branch of Yabloko, was sentenced to ten days of arrest for allegedly organising an unauthorised protest action. The school administration immediately broke labour contract with Korovainy.

According to Korovainy, he saw in social networks that a large number of people wanted to go to the rally on 12 June, and he decided to advise them that their actions should remain within the law. The meeting was attended by schoolchildren, including pupils of the fifth – seventh classes. Some of them studied in the high school where the Korovainy teaches.

Immediately after the action, representatives of law enforcement agencies came to his school. After their visit, the administration of the educational institution preferred to immediately terminate the employment contract with the teacher.

Alexander Korovainy intends to appeal the decision of court.

According to Yabloko Deputy Chairman Nikolai Rybakov, the party will provide legal support to Korovainy and party activists will raise funds necessary to support the family and Korovavainy support group in this difficult period. Also, the party will seek cancellation of the decision to dismiss Alexander Korovainy from work.

Grigory Yavlinsky, Chairman of the Federal Political Committee of the Yabloko Party and Yabloko’s presidential candidate said, “The modern Russian government represents an irremovable, thoroughly corrupt system of lawlessness, arbitrariness and military adventures. The police state has illegally usurped power by systematically falsifying elections. Therefore, people’s [coming into the streets] protesting against all of this is a natural and correct reaction.”

“However, we do not support provocative and Byzantine-style political tricks like those that took place in Tverskaya street in Moscow on 12 June, because they provoke an intentional and unjustified violation of laws, which causes rejection to the opposition in the absolute majority of people, and in the end, leads to increased repression, as it was, for example, after [the actions of] 6 May, 2012,” Grigory Yavlinsky stressed.

According to Yalvinsky, “The situation in the country can be remedied not through politicians’ provocations or police truncheons, but by means of voting in the presidential elections for a different way of development – voting for freedom and respect to an individual, civil peace and development of our country”.