Organizer of rally in Rostov-on-Don sentenced to 10 days in custody

The oppositionist Vladislav Ryazantsev, the coordinator of the "Left-Wing Front" in the Rostov Region, arrested after the rally "For Fair Elections", was sentenced to 10 days of administrative arrest under Article "Disorderly conduct". Starting from today, the convicted man went on a hunger strike.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the action "For Fair Elections" had been sanctioned by the city authorities. The rally ended without incidents; however, in the evening of February 26, Vladislav Ryazantsev, one of the organizers, was detained by the police near his house. It was planned that on February 28 he should face trial on charges of disorderly conduct. However, the court session was postponed to February 29 due to health state of the defendant. Then, it was postponed again, since Vladislav Ryazantsev got medical sick-leave certificate till March 2.

"Today, when I wanted to close my sick-leave certificate at the polyclinic No. 16, I was met by prosecutors and law enforcement officials, who brought me to the Voroshilov District Court of Rostov-on-Don. There, the prosecutors had issued me a warning on avoidance and non-participation in unsanctioned rallies. At the court session, I filed challenge to the judge, several motions on procedural violations and even a motion to postpone the court hearing due to the valid sick-leave certificate; however, all motion were dismissed. The judicial examination resulted in the arrest for 10 days, from today. I asked the judge to include in the sentence the day of February 27, when I spent the night at the police station and the entire day in the court; however, I was refused in that also," said Vladislav Ryazantsev.

The coordinator of the "Left-Wing Front" has added that at the detention centre, where he will be kept during the next 10 days, he will announce a hunger strike. "I will try to survive all 10 days, and then let it be as it will," stated Vladislav Ryazantsev.