In Krasnodar, activist of the Movement "All Persons Are Equal under Law and before Court" detained during her picket

Elena Slepko, an activist of the Inter-Regional Public Movement "All Persons Are Equal under Law and before Court", has come out today with her solo picket in front of the Administration of the Krasnodar Territory with New Year greetings to local Governor Alexander Tkachov and a demand to release entrepreneur Sergey Lyakh from the Krasnodar SIZO (pre-trial prison). Elena was detained by militiamen, who claimed that her picket was not a solo one.

Sergey Lyakh is a member and a co-founder of the Movement "All Persons Are Equal under Law and before Court"; he was arrested in September 2010 on charges of committing an economic crime.

Elena Slepko pointed out in her poster to Federal Law 60-FZ of April 7, 2010, adopted by the State Duma on the initiative of President Dmitri Medvedev and prohibiting the arrest persons suspected or accused of committing economic crimes before the court verdict.

The woman was approached by officials of the Administration of the Krasnodar Territory; Alexei Todorenko, Secretary of the Krasnodar Branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF); Vyacheslav Potapov, editor-in-chief of the TV Programme "Sovietskaya Kuban"; Galina Konovalova, co-chair of the Movement "All Persons Are Equal under Law and before Court"; and ordinary passers-by.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that Elena gave an interview to the TV Programme "Sovietskaya Kuban" about the problem, which had forced her to go out to her picket. 15 minutes after the end of the interview, Papanov, A. A., head of the Militia of Public Safety of the UVD (Interior Department) of Krasnodar, arrived to the place. He asked Elena about the aim of her picket and then turned to Galina Konovalova, who was standing next to him and asked whether she agreed with the picketer's demands.

Ms Konovalova said that she believed Ms Slepko's demands to deserve the full attention of the leadership of the Territory. After this, Papanov called a militiaman who was on duty nearby and ordered pointing at Slepko and Konovalova: "Detain them, it's double picketing."

Galina Konovalova objected and added that she came up to Slepko already after arrival of militiamen.

After Konovalova left, Papanov ordered to bring Elena Slepko to Militia Station-1 of Krasnodar for committing an administrative offence - a picket without notifying the executive bodies of power.

So far, law enforcement bodies gave no comments on the incident.

According to Part 1, Article 7, of Federal Law 54-FZ "On Meetings, Rallies, Demonstrations, Marches and Pickets" of June 19, 2004, in case of a solo (one-person) picket no notification is required. However, in case a picket is held by two or more persons, they should present a prior notification to the administration.