We demand to stop the pre-investigation check on municipal deputies Andrei Morev and Viktor Kotov
Statement by Yabloko Chairperson, 19.02.2019
Photo: Andrei Morev
The Yabloko party expresses serious concern over the fact that Andrei Morev, Moscow municipal deputy from Yabloko, was summoned for interrogation to the Investigation Committee of the Yakimanka district of Moscow.
The summon to the Investigation Committee is connected with conducting of pre-investigation check against Viktor Kotov, Moscow municipal deputy of the Basmanny district, who can be accused of “justifying terrorism”.
According to Viktor Kotov, [the authorities] see a problem in his article in the Nasha Yakimanka newspaper, the Editor-in-Chief of which is Andrei Morev. The article was devoted to Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, who is serving a sentence [in Russia] on the charges of terrorism.
Yabloko, Russian and international human rights organisations, film directors Alexander Sokurov, Andrei Zvyagintsev, Pedro Almodovar, Andrzej Wajda, Aki Kaurismäki, President of the European Film Academy Wim Wenders, writer Stephen King, actor Johnny Depp and many other consider Sentsov a political prisoner and demand his release. http://eng.yabloko.ru/?p=20337
The check of Viktor Kotov and Andrei Morev may represent a continuation of repressive trends towards civil society. Yabloko demands to stop reprisals against citizens who use legal forms of social and political activity.
Emilia Slabunova,
Yabloko Chair
Posted: February 20th, 2019 under Freedom of Speech, Human Rights, Russia-Ukraine relations.