{"id":4091,"date":"2021-05-05T16:52:38","date_gmt":"2021-05-05T14:52:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.human-rights-year.com\/?p=4091"},"modified":"2021-08-30T17:07:40","modified_gmt":"2021-08-30T15:07:40","slug":"the-criminal-prosecution-of-opposition-activist-gleb-maryasov-is-politically-motivated-and-unlawful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.human-rights-year.com\/de\/2021\/05\/05\/the-criminal-prosecution-of-opposition-activist-gleb-maryasov-is-politically-motivated-and-unlawful\/","title":{"rendered":"The criminal prosecution of opposition activist Gleb Maryasov is politically motivated and unlawful"},"content":{"rendered":"

Memorial Human Rights Centre, in accordance with international\u00a0guidelines<\/a>\u00a0defining the term \u2018political prisoner,\u2019 considers the criminal prosecution of Krasnoyarsk activist Gleb Maryasov politically motivated and unlawful. The purpose of his politically motivated prosecution is to intimidate Russian civil society and prevent citizens exercising their right to freedom of assembly.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We demand that the charges against Gleb Maryasov be dropped immediately and an end to all criminal investigations initiated against peaceful protesters for non-violent actions under the new version of Article 267, Part 1, of the Russian Criminal Code (intentional blocking of transport communications and transport infrastructure or hindering the movement of vehicles and pedestrians on railways and road networks where these acts endanger the life, health or safety of citizens or threaten to destroy or damage the property of individuals or legal entities).<\/p>\n

What are the charges against Gleb Maryasov?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On 23 January 2021 protests in support of Aleksei Navalny took place all over Russia. Wherever they occurred, the protests were accompanied by mass arrests and the beating of protesters by the police.<\/p>\n

In Moscow, protesters were forced out of Pushkin Square and, seeking to escape from the violence of the security forces, went on to the roadway, thereby obstructing the passage of cars.<\/p>\n

It was this circumstance that led on 24 January 2021 to the first criminal prosecution under the newly revised version of Article 267, Part 1, of the Russian Criminal Code that provides for a penalty of up to one year in prison.<\/p>\n

The only person charged in the case was Gleb Maryasov, a student at the Siberian Federal University and secretary of the Krasnoyarsk branch of the unregistered Libertarian Party of Russia.<\/p>\n

According to the criminal investigators, Maryasov\u2019s crime was that he \u2018issued verbal appeals and gave instructions to citizens to move on to the roadway as a united group in the central part of Moscow to block traffic and transport.\u2019<\/p>\n

On 22 February the activist was detained as he left a jail where he had been serving a 30-day term for participation in the protests of 23 January.<\/p>\n

On 24 February Judge Aleksei Krivoruchko, who has been included in the Magnitsky List, sitting in Moscow\u2019s Tverskoy district court ruled that Maryasov should be banned from undertaking certain specified actions before his trial. In particular, Maryasov was forbidden to return home to Krasnoyarsk and ordered to remain in Moscow at the convenience of the investigators.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why does Memorial consider Maryasov\u2019s prosecution politically motivated?<\/strong><\/p>\n