Press Release, February 3, 2014

The YABLOKO party took part in the demonstration in support of the Bolotnaya Square case prisoners on February 2. Several thousand people participated in the action.

YABLOKO’s activists held the banners “Freedom for political prisoners” and chanted slogans “Freedom for Bolotnaya prisoners”, “Russia will be free”, “Freedom -yes, democracy – yes, now and forever!”, “Changes!”, “Freedom for Maxim Petlin”.

The amnestied Bolotnaya prisoner, YABLOKO’s member Nikolay Kavkazsky said that such actions were necessary. “I believe that if at least three thousand people come to protest this will help the Bolotnaya prisoners including those who are now waiting for the court decision,” he said.

According to Kavkazsky, if the authorities saw that thousands of people supported the Bolotnaya Square case prisoners, the sentence would be lightened. He called to support the Bolotnaya prisoners and come to protest actions. “Mass actions in support of political prisoners should be conducted within several months’ time. One should help the advocacy groups which support the Bolotnaya prisoners and come to court hearings as very few people come at the moment,” said Kavkazsky.

YABLOKO’s municipal deputy Mikhail Menshikov is sure that non of the Bolotnaya prisoners is guilty.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin visited the Zamoskvoretsky court (where the court hearings take place) the day before the action and YABLOKO adopted the statement and expressed protest in connection with the unjust process.

“We call the Zamoskvoretsky court [where the judicial process takes place] to get rid of the pressure of the telephone justice and pass a sentence according to the principles of humanity and common sense. All the eight prisoners should be released!” runs in the statement.