Feedback On January 4th, 2012, the Vasileostrovsky district court declined to change the preventive measure from an undertaking to appear in the court to an arrest of Filipp Kostenko, public and human rights activist, who has been persecuted on political basis. This time Kostenko is accused in the waste of “People’s front”’s poster (article 214, part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – “vandalism”). By this he expressed his negative attitude to abuse of power by the authorities during pre-electoral campaign.
The main argument for an arrest was “violation of proper conduct”, i.d. numerous administrative violations which, however, are not related to this particular case. The guaranties for the court were given by the deputies of the Legislative Assembly, the “Yabloko” fraction, A. Kobrinsky and B. Vishnevsky, the deputy of the State Duma, fraction “Spravedlivaya Rossiya”, I. Ponomarev. References from work and non-governmental organisations were also provided. Due to lawyers and guarantors’ support, the court was able to make an independent decision.
On January 5th, 2012, Filipp has to be released after 30 days of administrative arrest.
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