Statement by the Yabloko faction in the Moscow City Duma, 16.12.2019

The Commission on the organisation of the work of the Moscow City Duma rejected the question of the Yabloko faction to the Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

Daria Besedina, Yabloko MP of the Moscow City Duma, was going to ask the Moscow Mayor if he felt responsible for the fate of those who were being prosecuted for participating in protests this summer. Also it should be noted that a search was conducted in the apartment of Besedina then.

This means that this issue will not be voiced at the meeting of the Duma, which will consider the report of the Mayor of the city.

The Yabloko faction considers this a gross interference into the parliamentary activity.

Thousands of voters stand behind us, and it would be a betrayal of their interests to ask the Mayor only those questions that are comfortable and convenient for him.

We demand to stop rough interference into the parliamentary activities of the faction!

The completely removed question runs as follows:

“Mr. Sobyanin, in the summer you spoke on television and stated that there were mass riots in Moscow. This summer the authorities began to persecute the Muscovites, who did not agree with your policies,  in particular, mu home was searched.

Many were beaten in the streets of the city, including right under the windows of the Mayor’s Office. Later, the case on “mass riots” was closed, it turned out that there had been no riots. People, however, continue to be detained on absurd charges. Would you like to apologise to the Muscovites for your words? Do you feel responsible to those innocent who have been and still is persecuted?”

Maxim Kruglov,

Head of the faction