Press Release, 13.12.2017

Nikolai Rybakov, Deputy Chairman of Yabloko and head of the party election headquarters, demands that law enforcement bodies of Tambov stoppersecution of the activists of the regional branch of the party and urges them not to interfere with the street actions permitted by law.

The Tambov branch of Yabloko joined the All-Russian action for a new budget policy, which is part of the presidential campaign of Grigory Yavlinsky.

The Tambov regional branch of Yabloko was not allowed to conduct pickets with the participation of several people, so it was decided to conduct the action in the format of single-person pickets that to not require any coordination with or permits from the authorities.

Yana Zenkina, activist of the regional branch, informed the city administration about single-person pickets, despite the fact that the law does not require it.

However, on the second day of the campaign, the law enforcement began to claiming that Yabloko was violating the public order by such pickets. On December 7 the police detained Yabloko’s Lyudmila Fomina for alleged violation of public order.

“Lyudmila Fomina is a respected woman, she is 60 years old. She simply could not behave this way, ” Yana Zenkina said.

Nevertheless the police found two “witnesses” from the pro-governments Molodaya Gvardia youth organisation (the Young Guard) who stated that Fomina had violated public order. Fomina and Zenkina were detained and taken to the police station. However, the law enforcement officers did not introduce themselves or present their documents while arresting the activists.

Fomina was released five hours later, and Yana Zenkina only the next day.

The police tried to exert pressure on Yabloko activists: law enforcement officials were very persistent saying that Yabloko activists should refrain from such actions.

On December 8, Zenkins was detained for the second time when she came to the aid of the agitator. She was told by the police that she had already had a warning and was to pay a fine of 50,000 roubles allegedly for “violation of civil peace and campaigning”.

However, Yana Zenkina did not succumb to the provocation. Clearly realizing that she did not violate the law, the police released her without a penalty, and destroyed the protocol of detention.

Nevertheless, law enforcement officers continue the persecution of Yabloko’s campaigners. Yana Zenkin is detained virtually every day and the police tried to confiscate Yabloko’s leaflets.

“We are campaigning legally, we do not violate anything. But every day we get complaints from the police. Apparently, they are implementing the order from the higher instance. We were asked “Do you want your life to be spoilt, why do you participate in these actions?” But we are fulfilling our civic duty. Both the Constitution and the law are on our side. Maybe the Constitution and the law do not function in Tambov? “, Zenkina said.

The federal leadership of Yabloko is concerned about the situation in the region. Deputy chairman of the party Nikolai Rybakov notes that similar pickets have been taking place in other cities of Russia, and there the law enforcement puts no obstacles to them.

“The actions of the authorities are a vivid example of the violation of the Russian Constitution. Citizens have the right to freely express their opinion, have the right to freely assemble and defend their rights, even if this stance does not please the authorities. We demand that law enforcement bodies apologise to the detainees and urge them to stop such practices,” Rybakov said.

Yana Zenkina says that in spite of the persecutions Yabloko will continue campaigning for a new budget policy in Tambov.

Yabloko has been helding such actions in Veliky Novgorod, Kurgan, Omsk, Nizhny Novgorod and other cities.