Press Release, June 21, 2013

Upd 22:10 Police is holding Sergei Mitrokhin, Lev Ponomaryov, MP Iliya Ponomaryov and a representative of Russia’s Ombudsman in the office.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin has arrived to the office of the “For Human Rights” movement (Maliy Kislovsky lane 7, Moscow). Despite the fact that the entrance to the building has been blocked by private security guards, Mitrokhin managed to enter and meet with the leader of the movement Lev Ponomaryov.

Now Sergei Mitrokhin is negotiating with Alexander Rudnev, head of the Office for the Municipal Property Management of the Central district of Moscow. Rudnev is a representative of the owner of the building who initiated eviction of the human rights organization from the office the organization has been renting for many years.

Today the owner attempts to organize a forceful eviction of the human rights organization hiring a private security company for this. However, the actions of the private security company violate the law.

Ponomaryov has not received a notice of termination of the contract, so the contract is considered prolonged for an indefinite period and, in accordance with the Civil Code, can be dissolved only by the court.

Sergei Mitrokhin has also got in touch with Russian Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin asking him to send his representative to the office.

The YABLOKO party will render to the “For Human Rights” movement legal assistance for preparation for filing a law suit on unlawful actions of the owner of the building and suspension of the eviction procedure.