Press Release, October 22, 2013

YABLOKO  protested near the State Duma against the bill which will allow to conduct the elections to the Moscow City Duma and the Legislative Assembly of St.Petersburg only in single-seat constituencies. YABLOKO activist smashed a “crazy printer” which symbolised a large number of repressive bills adopted by the State Duma with a hammer. YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the action.

The protest action had a theatrical character.  YABLOKO municipal deputy Grigory Semyonov was detained after smashing the printer. According to a police officer, the activist was detained “for using a hammer”.

YABLOKO claims the detention was illegal as the protest action was conducted as a one-person picket.

“The “crazy printer” called the State Duma will adopt another useless bill today. The proposed change is a violation of the Constitution  which says all the constituent entities of the Russia Federation are equal. The United Russia party acts in its interests as it will be a lot easier to hold the majority of the seats in the parliaments”, said Sergei Mitrokhin.

YABLOKO is against the party lists ban at the elections as the bill will be adopted without a discussion, restricts the rights of the citizens and breaks the constitutional equality of the entities of the Russian Federation.

After two hours at the police station Grigory Semyonov was released. “I’ve lost so much time. The police tried to accuse me of disorderly conduct – carrying the hammer with me. As a result they let me go without writing a report. They even apologized”, said Semyonov.

See also:

The Moscow Times, October 22, 2013

Yabloko Activist Smashes Printer to Protest Election Bill