Social regional Organization "Rodnik" Centre of Law

115573 Moskva a/ja 204, Fax 8 (095) 344-53-35, e-mail: rodnik@orc.ru

Call for Support

The "Rodnik" Centre of Law is again in a position where it needs your support for a member of the indigenous peoples of the north, the Nenets Y. K. Ajvaseda living in the Khanty-Mansijskij Avtonomny Okrug.
The poet, writer and winner of the Sorros Foundation's award "For Outstanding Achievements" Y. K. Ajvaseda is again being unlawfully accused of a crime - hooliganism using a weapon and threatened with 4 to 7 years in prison.
The first attempt of the oil company OOO "Lukoil Western Siberia" in conjunction with the local authorities to take judicial steps against the defence of constitutional rights has failed.
As a formal reason for the unlawful criminal prosecution of Y. K. Ajvaseda served the following incident. On 14 September Y. K. Ajvaseda and his closest neighbours on the settlement tried to bring their children to the village school for the festive opening. The children are being educated in a school on the Taiga settlement. That's why his trip was very important.
When they reached the path that connects the settlement of Y. K. Ajvaseda with the main road he saw an excavator destroying the bridge serving as the only connection between the settlement and the village as well as the rest of the outside world. The children were frightened and traumatised and started to cry.
In order to stop the further destruction of the bridge Y. K. Ajvaseda cut up the tires of the excavator destroying the bridge.

In this situation Y. K. Ajvasedas actions were in accordance to the law and constitute from a judicial point of view an act of defence of civil liberties directly protected by clause 12 "Possibilities of defence of civil rights" in the code of civil law of the Russian Federation.

Active protest by the Russian and international public and the trip by "Rodnik" Centre of Law E.A. Grechuschkina (member of the lawyers of the Moscow district and the international Association of lawyers) to Kogalym in the Khanty-Mansijskij Autonomous District lead to a calling-off of the prosecution of Y. K. Ajvaseda.
Still there was no official declaration about the stopping of the prosecution which gives evidence that it remains possible to put pressure on the active member of the movement for the protection of indigenous people Y. K. Ajvaseda.
Not taking into account that no accusation was laid out to him and he was only called as a witness "wanted" posters carrying the portrait of Y. K. Ajaseda as a person suspected of having commited a crime were distributed even before he and other indigenous eye witnesses were called to deliver their testimony.
Of course the distribution of such information about the well known leader of indigenous people is aimed at intimidating him and damaging his reputation.
In connection with the above described incident Y. K. Ajvaseda was called to testify three times by the investigator representing the public prosecutor's office. Afterwards Y. K. Ajvaseda was informed that he would not longer be bothered with this case. Inspite of this Y. K. Ajvaseda now received a notification by the public prosecutors office of Kogalym informing him he is subject to criminal prosecution in connection with clause 213, point 3 of the criminal code of the Russian Federation (hooliganism using a weapon).
Y. K. Ajvaseda has in no way commited any deeds against people using an ax (weapon). All actions of Ajvaseda were aimed at destroying the tires of the excavator to stop it from ruining the bridge. These actions were in no relation to persons.
We would like to ask you to send your inquiries and protests to end the unlawful prosecution of Y. K. Ajvaseda to the following adresses.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
V. V. Putin
Moscow, Kreml

THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
103793, GSP, Moscow K-9, ul. B. Dmitrovka, 15a

THE GOVERNOR OF THE KHANTY-MANSIJSK AUTONOMOUS DISTRICT
Aleksandr Vasiljevich Filipenko
628006 g. Khanty-Mansijsk, Khanty-Mansijsk Autonomous District, Tjumen Region, ul. Mira, d.5
fax: 8 (34671) 3-34-60

THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OF THE KHANTY-MANSIJSK AUTONOMOUS DISTRICT
628012 g. Khanty-Mansijsk, ul. Chekhova, 1a.

Secretary of the Centre of Law "Rodnik"
O.A. Yakovleva