Press Release, 27.04.2021

Photo: Anna Cherepanova / Photo by the Press Service of the Novgorod branch of Yabloko

The Novgorod District Court terminated the administrative case against Anna Cherepanova, Chair of the Novgorod branch of Yabloko and deputy of the Duma of Novgorod, due to the lack of an administrative offense.

The police intended to bring Anna Cherepanova to responsibility under Part 2 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Russian Federation (organisation or holding of a public event without filing a notice of a public event in accordance with the established procedure). Police claims were caused by a rally in memory of murdered opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, which took place in Novgorod’s “Hyde Park” (a specially designated place where holding a rally does not require any notifications of the authorities) on 27 February.

According to the police, it was a violation that Anna Cherepanova published a post that the Novgorod branch of Yabloko submitted to the Novgorod administration a notification of a rally and procession in memory of Boris Nemtsov that had to take place on 27 February. The authorities refused to give their approval of the actions and the memorial rally was held in the “Hyde Park” on the Gzen River embankment.

“We have no doubts about the political order of this absurd case. On the day of her speech in the Novgorod Regional Duma when Anna criticised the actions of Governor Andrei Nikitin and the government of the Novgorod region, the leader of the Novgorod Yabloko was handed a notice of drawing up an administrative violation protocol,” activists of the regional branch of the party stressed.

“There are elections ahead. The Novgorod Yabloko team will take part in them and we aim to win. Someone in the regional government does not want a real opposition to appear at the elections. The most disgusting methods were used: intimidation, pressure, and arbitrariness. But we will break through,” Anna Cherepanova said.