YABLOKO’s activists came to support Mikhail Kosenko charged with the Bolotnaya case
Press Release, October 8, 2013
On October 8 YABLOKO’s activists came to the Zamoskvorezki Court to support Mikhail Kosenko who is charged with the Bolotnaya square case. Kosenko is accused of participating in the mass riots and the use of violence endangering the lives of policemen on May 6, 2012.
A long queue formed by the court building long before the session was supposed to start, the people hurried to take seats in the courtroom. But after an hour’s waiting only a few people, including journalists, were allowed to be present at the pronouncement of the verdict.
The people who didn’t manage to get into the building stayed outside and chanted slogans: “Freedom for Mikhail Kosenko”, “Shame!”,”No to punitive medicine”. YABLOKO’s activist Sergei Vinogradov was detained together with another nine activists.
The Zamoskvorezki Court of Moscow sentenced Mikhail Kosenko to compulsory psychiatric treatment.
“The court’s decision on the compulsory treatment for Mikhail Kosenko is an act of punitive medicine which was a method of repression of dissidents since the Soviet times. I’m absolutely sure that the verdict has a political character. After this the practice of compulsory treatment for civil activists and opposition politicians can be introduced in Russia”, said YABLOKO chair Sergei Mitrokhin.
YABLOKO’s activist detained by police
The advisor of YABLOKO’s Chairman Sofya Rusova and activist Olga Naskovez came to support Mikhail Kosenko
Head of Moscow Helsinki Group Ludmila Alexeyeva
Posted: October 9th, 2013 under Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Speech, Human Rights.