Mr. Suren Gazaryan and Mr. Evgenij Vitishko - two activists of the “Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus” - are accused of having committed a crime according to the article 167, part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code (“causing significant damage to property with hooligan motives”) and can be condemned to up to 5 years imprisonment.
On November, 13, 2011 they carried out a protest action against the unlawful fencing of 7 ha of Lermontov forest land (Tuapse district) along the Black Sea coast for the planned summer residence of the Krasnodar Krai governor Mr. Alexander Tkachev. The activists made inscriptions on the fence: “Alex is a thief”, “This is our land”, “This is our forest”.
The investigation expertise confirmed that “the fence can no longer carry out its function”, “an overhaul is needed” and estimated the damage at 119 thousand rubles (3000 euro). Mr. Evgenij Vitishko have been indicted by the investigator Ms. E. Polokhova of the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tuapse region on March, 2, 2012, followed by Mr. Suren Gazaryan on March, 7, 2012. “This is the first precedent in Russia, when a criminal case is open for fence inscriptions, - the activists say, - Every official can now illegally fence some land and then open a criminal case, whenever other people approach it”.
There is no legal basis for the fence, set up in the forest by the firm “Kapitel” Ltd. The fenced land, where the construction is already under way, belongs to the forest fund, but has been somehow rented to ZAO “Agrokomplex”. After an inquiry of the activists, the Department of Forestry of the Krasnodar Krai stated, that the access to the forest “is open from 2 sides”, which is false.
The Movement to Defend Khimki Forest demands the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tuapse region:
- to immediately stop criminal proceedings against Mr. Suren Gazaryan and Mr. Evgenij Vitishko
- to test the service of the investigator Ms. E. Polokhova in connection with the undue criminal proceedings against citizens, trying to restore the legitimate access to the forest
- to prosecute individuals, responsible for the unauthorized seizure of the forest land, and to order the removal of the unauthorized fence in the Lermontov forest.
For more information contact Mr. Suren Gazaryan directly: +7-928-421-7448
