Rostov Region: ex-candidate for Zverevo Mayor stops his hunger strike

Today, Valery Dyakonov, a former candidate for the post of the Mayor of the city of Zverevo, Rostov Region, who was on hunger strike in protest against violations at the September 8, 2013, elections of heads and deputies of municipal formations, has stopped his action because of health problems.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Valery Dyakonov, a retired miner and a local MP, who was the runner-up in the mayoral race in Zverevo, on December 16 went on a termless hunger strike, after making a public statement about violations during the election race, admitted, in his opinion, by the city administration. In particular, he said that counter-agitation was used against him: one newspaper called him an alcoholic, a criminal and a schizophrenic.

On December 20, investigators instituted a criminal case on Dyakonov's complaint under Part 1, Article 128.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, "Slander", the former candidate for the Mayor told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Dyakonov, however, does not agree with the qualification of the offence, saying that in this case Parts 2 and 4 of the same article are more appropriate, since they suggest a more severe penalty for slander.

"I hope that investigators will focus on this information and make the right conclusions in relation to those who had financed, ordered, organized and published that slanderous newspaper," said Dyakonov.