RBC journalist arrested on charges of “undermining the political situation” – RBC

Photo: Yekaterina Kuzmina / RBC

Moscow’s Khamovniki Court on Wednesday arrested a journalist RBC Alexander Sokolov for participating in a banned organization, for holding the referendum. Together with him in prison were former editor of “Duel” Yury Mukhin and colleague Valery Parfenov last.

According to the case file submitted to the Court, they have continued activities of a proscribed organization the Army of the will of the people (AVN), which was Moscow City Court declared extremist community in autumn 2010.

After that, according to investigators, the defendants in the AVN renamed “initiative group on referendum” for a responsible power, “which is set in front of the old goals and objectives, namely” creation of initiative groups for referendum ».

The true aim, according to investigators, was” undermining the political situation in the direction of instability and change the existing power illegally, “it follows from the case.

As explained RBC lawyer arrested Alexei Chernyshev, his client wanted to make amendments to the Constitution and the adoption of the law “for responsible government.” The authors of the initiative proposed to evaluate the work of deputies, senators and the leadership of the country after the expiration of their terms of office.

Khamovniki court considered the petition of the investigation of the arrests involved in the case, one after another. The investigator Natalia Talaeva asked the court to put all in custody for two months and motivate standard bases: can hide, to put pressure on witnesses or destroy evidence.

«The law on extremist activity there is no such point as the holding of a referendum. On the contrary, extremism – it makes it difficult to hold a referendum, “- appeared in court Mukhin and claimed that hiding from the investigation is not going to, because the referendum -” his life’s work. ”

Mukhin asked not to send him to jail, because he – pensioners and the disabled group III, last underwent heart surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting). Sokolov dependent is 90-year-old grandmother, which also served as a ground for reduction of preventive measures.

All the accused asked them to choose alternative measures of restraint, such as house arrest. But the court sanctioned their being in prison: Mukhina to 29 September, and Sokolov and Parfenov – until 22 September.

Guide RBC is now studying the legal grounds for prosecution Sokolova, says a spokesperson for the media holding Zlata Nikolaeva.