Krasnodar: Public Prosecutor Apologized to a Human Rights Defender for Criminal Persecution

Vladimir Golota, Public Prosecutor of a West Administrative district of Krasnodar, submitted an official written apology to Anastasia Denisova on behalf of the Russian Federation for non-pecuniary damage done by institution of criminal proceedings against her. Anastasia Denisova is the head of a Youth Group for Tolerance "ETHnICS".

On May 12, 2010, head of one of the departments of Public Prosecutor’s office Sergey Chikarov informed Denisova’s representative lawyer Marina Dubrovina about that. "The process and criminal persecution relating to Denisova were dismissed due to the absence of crime in the act, - Chikarov said. - Such a decision was made because during a court session new facts of the matter had been ascertained. The new facts made the prosecution doubt in Denisova’s guilt, further criminal persecution had become impossible."

In April, Marina Dubrovina regarding the case of Denisova applied personally to deputy prosecutor of the Krasnodar krai asking to sort out the problem of ungrounded criminal persecution of a human rights defender.

"Finally I would like to mention the role of Public Prosecutor’s office of the Krasnodar krai in a positive solution of the problem, - Marina Dubrovina emphasized. - They were active, did not stand aside. They examined the criminal case promptly and efficiently, evaluated the proofs of Denisova’s innocence, particularly independent research of the IT specialists and took concrete effective measures to defense violated Anastasia Denisova’s rights".

"I’m happy for our common victory. I’m content with the apology of the prosecutor on behalf of Russia for persecution, - Denisova said. - It means that truth in our country can be upholded by legal and civil methods. I would like to thank Association AGORA for legal support, Team for the defence of human rights defenders from Youth Human Rights Movemet. Also I would like to thank HRC Memorial, particularly Svetlana Gannushkina and Alexander Osipov for help and support."

For a letter from Public prosecutor’s office (in Russian) visit Memorial’s web-site: www.memo.ru/2010/05/13/1.jpg, www.memo.ru/2010/05/13/2.jpg.

About the persecution of Anastasia Denisova: www.memo.ru/eng/news/2010/05/14/1405101.htm.

About investigation of Anastasia’s case (in Russian): http://www.memo.ru/2010/04/07/0704101.htm.

Materials of the press-conference Fight against counterfeit or human rights activists? (in Russian): http://www.memo.ru/2010/03/11/1103101.htm.

For further information: Memorial