Expert's conclusion exposes custom nature of case against oppositional politician Alexander Yefimov

The expert's conclusion by Inna Vasilenko, Doctor of Philosophy, which the Prosecutor's Office (PO) presented at the trial of Alexander Yefimov, a member of the federal bureau of the "Yabloko" Party, is of a custom nature, lawyers have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the court in the city of Volzhsky had ordered Alexander Yefimov, a "Yabloko" Party member, to pay a fine for an interview with an activist of the "Golos" (Vote)* movement, which, according to the prosecution, is associated with the international organization ENEMO**, recognized as undesirable in Russia, and therefore the "Golos"* has the same status.

The expertise performed under the PO's order, contains false information about the “Golos”* movement, said David Kankiya, a board member of the movement.

“We've stated publicly and documented that we are not associated with the international organization ENEMO**. In 2012, the "Golos" association was liquidated and the "Golos" movement was created*. It hasn't cooperated with the ENEMO**, which is undesirable in Russia," Mr Kankiya has explained.

He treats the expert's study by Doctor Vasilenko as politically biased.

“The accusations that we are performing someone’s political order are groundless. We take a politically neutral position and cooperate with all political parties and movements in the country,” David Kankiya has emphasized.

Sergey Ivaschenko, a lawyer, has listed the main signs of the custom nature of Yefimov’s case: there are no documents proving that the "Golos" movement at the time of Yefimov’s interview was participating in the activities of the ENEMO**, undesirable in Russia, and there are also no documents proving that Yefimov is a member of the "Golos"* movement."

*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.

**On September 27, 2021, The Russian Attorney General’s Office declared the activities of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) “undesirable” in Russia.