Press Release, 22.11.2021

Photo: Victoria Ivleva at the conference in support of the Yabloko list of candidates in the elections to the State Duma, on 16 September, 2021 / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

The leaders of Yabloko filed petitions with the Khamovnichesky District Court of Moscow calling for the termination of the administrative case against the journalist and photographer Victoria Ivleva, who was detained by the police on Saturday at a single picket against the liquidation of the Memorial human rights society.

Petitions in support of Ivleva were sent to the court by Nikolai Rybakov, Yabloko Chairman, Grigory Yavlinsky, Chairman of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko, Boris Vishnevsky, Deputy Chairman of Yabloko, MP of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly and member of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko, and Lev Shlosberg, leader of the Pskov branch of Yabloko.

An administrative protocol was drawn up in relation to Victoria Ivleva under Article 20.2, Part 8, of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation, which envisages a fine of up to 300,000 roubles or an administrative arrest for up to 30 days.

“Victoria Ivleva is a world-renowned journalist and human rights activist. She has worked as a journalist and a top class photographer in the poorest countries in Africa, in the trouble spots of the former USSR, and in many countries of the world. I can say with confidence that all the long-term journalistic, creative and humanistic activities of Victoria Markovna Ivleva do honour to the Russian state and our society. Victoria Ivleva is a sincere and absolutely honest person,” Grigory Yavlinsky wrote in his petition.

Lev Schlosberg points out in his petition that Ivleva’s status as a world-renowned human rights activist and journalist envisages publicly stating the stance on socially significant issues. According to Shlosberg, “any actions of the authorities in relation to Ivleva affect the credibility of the state power of the Russian Federation”.

Holding single pickets does not require any coordination with the authorities, there were no violations of the law during a single picket held by Ivleva, she did not create threats to anyone’s safety and health, therefore, the accusations against her have no legal basis, Shlosberg adds.

Victoria Ivleva was an official campaigner of the Yabloko party in the parliamentary elections this year.