Leader of Volgograd communists voices against political persecutions

On January 23, speaking to the protest rally held by communists in Volgograd, Alevtina Aparina, Deputy of the State Duma and leader of the CPRF (Communist Party of the Russian Federation) branch in Volgograd Region, opposed political persecutions of dissidents in the country.

"The law enforcement bodies and we, Deputies of the State Duma, should arrange to strengthen responsibility for political persecutions," Ms Aparina, a Russian MP from the CPRF, said in her interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

She referred to the recent speech of her party boss Gennady Zyuganov at the State Duma session.

"How many persons are in prisons here for just expressing their opinions? They offended nobody and they broke no law. Why are they convicted to real imprisonment terms? I think this topic should be in the focus of country leaders," Ms Aparina said.

According to her story, the most tragic situation is in the Olkhovskiy District of the Volgograd Region. Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that after election of the administration head of this District on October 11, 2009, four school principals, a teacher of music, nine social workers and the head of the Municipal Unitary Enterprise "Gusev Housing and Communal Services" found themselves under threat of dismissal. All of them, in the opinion of the re-elected district boss Nikolai Orlov, "do not fit the system" and are "poor managers."

Vladimir Gorodzhiy, head of the division of education of the administration of the Olkhovskiy District, said in a telephone conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that only Galina Mikhailovna Karpova has been dismissed so far. The reason was in her numerous work defects. However, he refused to name them, saying only that grounds are not political. In mid-January, the Volgograd Regional Court passed a positive decision on Ms Karpova's cassation complaint. It was reported that in the near future the Olkhovskiy District Court should reconsider Karpova's dismissal.

"These repressions cause our deep indignation," Alevtina Aparina said. "Deputies and the public managed to defend the rights of Karpova, principal of the Gusev school - recently the Regional Court passed a decision in her favour. But other people there are under threat of dismissal."