Press Release, 13.01.2023

Photo: Stanislav Shmakov / Photo from social media

The Kirovsky District Court of Tomsk held hearings on selecting a measure of restraint for Stanislav Shmakov, a civil activist and assistant to a deputy from Yabloko in the Tomsk City Duma David Avetyan. Shmakov was placed under home arrest for two months. It is reported that Shmakov is accused of damaging banners with information about support for a “special military operation” in Ukraine. The banners were placed by order of the Tomsk administration. Shmakov can be imprisoned for up to three years for damages to banners amounting to about 200,000 roubles.

It should be noted that on the morning of 11 January, a search was conducted in the apartment of Stanislav Shmakov, after which he was taken for interrogation. Communication with the activist disappeared until the end of the day. Later it turned out that after interrogation Shmakov sent to a temporary detention centre until a preventive measure was chosen.

Shmakov is charged with “vandalism committed by a group of persons” (Article 214 Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the investigation, Stanislav Shmakov damaged six banners with inscriptions in support of the so-called “special operation”. The total damage caused by young people to the city administration is estimated at 200,000 roubles.

For such an offense, activists face either a restriction of freedom for up to three years, or forced labour for up to three years, or imprisonment for the same period.

Read more about the persecution of Yabloko members after the start of the “special operation”.