Press Release, 12.08.2021

Photo by the Press Service of the Saratov branch of Yabloko

The panel of judges of the Saratov Regional Court rejected the appeal of the Saratov administration, which challenged the victory of the Saratov branch of Yabloko in the Volzhsky District Court on two administrative claims after the administration’s unjustified refusal to give a permission for public events as part of Yabloko’s State Duma election campaign.

The Saratov branch Yabloko notes that the court’s decision has come into legal force, which means that party members will continue to seek to bring Alexander Burmak to administrative responsibility under Article 5.69 of the Administrative Code for obstructing a public event by an official. The corresponding statement was submitted to the police.

“We are glad that the limitation period for this article is one year. It is not only Ksenia Sverdlova [Chair of the Saratov branch of Yabloko and Yabloko’ nominated candidate for the parliamentary elections] who should be held accountable in court six months after the alleged violations,” the regional office emphasises.

It should be noted that Yabloko launched its election campaign to the State Duma by distributing 1.5 million newspapers in 106 cities of 53 Russia’s regions.

The Saratov city administration did not give a permission for picketing and distribution of the Yabloko newspaper in the city streets. The court ruled this refusal to be unlawful.