Press Release, 10.08.2019

Nearly 50,000 people took part in a rally for fair elections and against arbitrariness, which took place in Sakharov Prospect in Moscow on 10 August. Three municipal deputies from Yabloko – Yelena Rusakova, Andrei Morev and Yelena Filina were members of the organising committee of the action.

The rally was attended by Yabloko leaders: Emilia Slabunova, Yabloko Chair, Nikolai Rybakov, Deputy Chairman of the party, Grigory Yavlinsky, Chairman of the Federal Political Committee and members of the Federal Political Committee Yevgeny Bunimovich, Sergei Mitrokhin, Yelena Dubrovina and Valery Borschyov.

“We demand that all candidates independent of the authorities are registered in the elections, we demand that officials who committed violations in these elections are brought to justice, we demand that all criminal and administrative cases are stopped,” Emilia Slabunova said. “We need a reform of the law enforcement system, the judicial system, the reform of the electoral commissions systems,” Nikolai Rybakov added.

Grigory Yavlinsky expressed confidence that such a protest cannot be just a rally – it should have a political meaning and a political component. For this, it is necessary to form a large political party. “We will do it. Make your voice louder!” Yavlinsky said.

Yabloko’s Sergei Mitrokhin, unregistered candidate to the Moscow City Duma, speaking from the stage of the rally, called on the audience to increase mass protest and improve its quality: “What do I mean? First of all, the protest should be more organised. It is necessary to create a single, flexible structure that would organise mass actions. Secondly, the protest must be responsible. It should build up immunity against provocateurs and provocations, and all these revolutionary temptations that only allow the authorities to further develop repression. And thirdly, I agree with my friend Grigory Yavlinsky, who constantly says this: the protest should become more political. And this means that it must consistently formulate specific requirements. And strive to fulfill them. ”

Mitrokhin also added that during the protest activity of 2011-2012, all these signs were absent, so the protest, despite being mass-scale, ended in nothing and slipped through a crack,” Mitrokhin noted.

It should be noted that on 29 July, Grigory Yavlinsky published the eight demands – what the opposition should seek. This is, first, dissolution of the Moscow City Electoral Commission. Then, a change in the formation of the Moscow City Duma, rise of the number of deputies and increase of its powers. Dissolution of all existing public and civil structures under the Moscow City Duma and formation of the new one, early elections of the Moscow Mayor already this year. Adoption of the law on the introduction of real civilian control over law enforcement agencies in Moscow with vesting of the newly formed special public structures with all relevant powers. Ban on transfer to Moscow of the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian Guard from other regions of Russia; and, finally, the most important task is immediate start of the judicial reform.

Only three of the eight candidates from Yabloko were registered for the elections to the Moscow City Duma. The party took part in a previous mass rally on Sakharov Prospect, which required the registration of all independent candidates. Party leaders and activists also participated in the actions in the centre of Moscow on 27 July and 3 August that were not permitted by the authorities.actions in the centre of Moscow on 27 July and 3 August.

Photos from the rally of 10 August:

Yabloko Chair Emilia Slabunova (centre) and Yelena Dubrovina, member of the Federal Political Committee (right)

Grigory Yavlinsky, Chairman of the Federal Political Committee

Nikolai Rybakov, Yabloko Deputy Chairman

Sergei Mitrokhin, member of the Federal Political Committee and Yabloko unregistered candidate in the Moscow City Duma elections (district No. 43)

Organisers of the rally: Yabloko municipal deputies Yelena Filina, Andrei Morev and Yelena Rusakova (unregistered