Press release, 05.02.2016

Activists of the St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO Youth Ilya Smirnov and Polina Dmitriyeva conducted a one-person picketing suggesting that the citizens should write a letter to Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Administration, with an apology. The action had a sarcastic implication and aimed at attracting attention to lawlessness in the Chechen Republic.

During January 2016, head of the Chechen Administration Ramzan Kadyrov repeatedly expressed accusations to the Russian opposition, both orally and in a written form, and his statements contained such expressions as “traitors”, “enemies of the people” who “play the game invented by Western secret services”; “these people must be brought to court”, “we will not allow this loony rabble” and so on. Ella Pamfilova, Russia’s Ombudsperson for Human Rights, criticised the head of Chechnya and said that remarks like Kadyrov’s “do Russia a disservice, casting a shadow on the country”. Later State Duma deputy Shamsail Saraliyev noted that Ella Pamfilova should apologise to Kadyrov. However, she refused to do so.

Sergei Mitrokhin, member of YABLOKO Federal Political Committee and Chair of Moscow YABLOKO, forwarded applications to President of Russia, head of the Federal Security Service and Prosecutor General as in response to the offenses towards the Russian opposition on behalf of the head of the Chechen Administration Ramzan Kadyrov.