Press Release, 22.02.2019

Nikolai Rybakov, Deputy Chairman of the Yabloko party, recorded a video address to Yury Chaika, Public Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, and Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigation Committee of Russia, in connection with prosecution of Lev Shlosberg, head of the Pskov branch of Yabloko, by law enforcement agencies and criminals.

Nikolai Rybakov demands the following:

– ensure safety of MP of the Pskov parliament Lev Shlosberg and activists of the Pskov branch of Yabloko;

– take under personal control the investigation of the attack on Lev Shlosberg in 2014 and the threats received by Shlosberg on 20 February, 2019;

– stop a politically motivated criminal case for Yabloko’s voiced stance in the gubernatorial elections in the Pskov region.

In addition, Nikolai Rybakov expressed his certainty that the criminal case, initiated in September 2018 upon publication of leaflets calling on voters to come to the elections of the Governor of the Pskov region and make the ballot invalid, has nothing to do with the law and represents political pressure on the dissenting.

On 7 September, 2018, Public Prosecutor of the Pskov Region filed a criminal case on the alleged “prevention in exercising of voting rights” in the gubernatorial elections because of leaflets from the Pskov branch of Yabloko suggesting that voters may make the ballots null and void.

On 13 February, the Investigation Committee conducted an illegal search in the office of the Yabloko party in Pskov.

On 21 February, an unidentified man stuck a leaflet with threats on the door of the Public Reception of Lev Shlosberg, MP of the Pskov Regional Assembly.

Nikolai Rybakov is Deputy Chairman of the Yabloko Party and head of Yabloko’s Election Campaigns Headquarters