Press release, 12.12.2015

Today, on 12 December, the day of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin has been arrested by police at the action in defence of the Russian Constitution in Pushkin Square. Police also arrested YABLOKO’s Anton Antonov-Ovseyenko, Grigory Semyonov, Igor Bakirov and other YABLOKO and civil activists – 12 persons in total. They were all taken to Police Department Tverskoye.

Mitrokhin is accused of defiance to the lawful orders of police (Article 19.3 of the Administrative Violations Code). YABLOKO leader insists that he has not violated the law.

Mitrokhin was standing in Pushkin Square with the poster “Respect Our Constitution! 1965 – 2015”. Police demanded that he should leave the square for alleged installation works that should be held there. Mitrokhin refused. The police lined in a chain and ousted the activists – 12 people in total, Sergei Mitrokhin inclusive.

YABLOKO was holding pickets in defense of the country’s fundamental law. It was a one-person picketing (with 50m distance between the picketers as required by law) which does not need any permissions from the authorities. The Mayor’s office denied YABLOKO the permission to conduct the picket in favour of the Russian Constitution on the Constitution Day either in Pushkin Square or Triumfalnaya Square stating that the city had to prepare for the New Year festivities.

Soviet dissidents held their first rally in defense of the Constitution in this square in December 1965. One of their slogans was “Respect the Soviet Constitution!”