Court repeatedly fines Volgograd politician for his interview to “Golos”* movement

The Volzhsky City Court repeatedly considered a case against Alexander Yefimov, a member of the federal bureau of the “Yabloko” Party, who was found guilty of giving an interview to the “Golos” (Vote)* movement. Alexander Yefimov was again found guilty and fined 15,000 roubles. Alexander Yefimov called the court’s decision a precedent and announced his intention to lodge an appeal against it.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in the city of Volzhsky, a court obliged Alexander Yefimov to pay a fine of 15,000 roubles for his interview to a member of the “Golos” (Vote)* movement. According to the prosecutors’ version, the “Golos” (Vote)* movement is associated with the international organization “ENEMO”**, recognized in Russia as undesirable, and therefore, the “Golos” (Vote)* movement has the same status.

Alexander Yefimov has claimed that he was deprived of the opportunity to ask an expert questions and somehow interact with him.

“At all court hearings, no one presented a single fact confirming the interaction of the ‘Golos’ (Vote)* movement with the international organization ‘ENEMO’**. Since 2012, the ‘Golos’ (Vote)* movement has declared that it has nothing in common with the international organization ‘ENEMO’** and begins its history with a clean sheet,” Alexander Yefimov stated.

“I consider the lawsuit brought against me to be unique. This has never happened in Russia before,” the Volgograd politician concluded.

“I consider the Alexander Yefimov’s case to be a precedent in Russia. If the prosecutor’s office wins, it will, in fact, be the abolition of journalism in the country. Since before giving interviews to journalists, a speaker will first have to check databases with lists of undesirable organizations, so that, God forbid, not to fall into the crucible of the modern Russian judicial system. Under such conditions, few people will give interviews to journalists,” lawyer Sergey Ivaschenko noted.

Earlier, David Kankiya, a council member of the “Golos” (Vote)* movement, has announced that the “Golos” (Vote)* movement has “no relation” to the international organization “ENEMO”**. David Kankiya explained that when the “Golos” Association existed (it was liquidated in 2016, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”), it collaborated with the international organization “ENEMO”** in the early 2010s. Now the “Golos” (Vote)* movement is a social movement that does not require state registration. “It is clear that the international organization ‘ENEMO’** has become for the Russian government a form of political pressure on the “Golos” (Vote)* movement,” David Kankiya claimed.

*On August 18, 2021, the “Golos” (Vote) all-Russian public movement in defence of voters’ rights was included in the new register of unregistered public associations performing the functions of a foreign agent. The movement’s website is blocked in Russia.

**The organization is recognized as an undesirable, and its activities are banned in Russia.