Ecologists: Sochi court's decisions in administrative cases against Olga Noskovets and David Khakim are politically motivated (video)

The cases against Sochi activists Olga Noskovets and David Khakim were instituted to isolate them during the Olympic closing ceremony. This opinion was expressed by Dmitry Shevchenko, Deputy Coordinator of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus". Vladimir Kim, the leader of the Sochi Branch of the "Yabloko" Party, believes the verdicts in the cases against the activists are to intimidate the public. Ecologist Evgenia Chirikova states that the authorities use such actions to divert the attention of citizens from economic problems.

Let us remind you that on February 23, Olga Noskovets and David Khakim were detained in Sochi several hours prior to the Olympic closing ceremony.

"Their detention took place without any grounds. A police patrol car approached them, and they were forced to travel to the police station in it is a well-established pattern for work of the Kuban police. Anyone can be detained, and the police can accuse a person of any crime. 'Disobedience' is the article most frequently used by the police," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Dmitry Shevchenko, Deputy Coordinator of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus".

The court's decisions in the case against Olga Noskovets and David Khakim are of political nature; however, "nobody benefits" from them. This was stated by said Evgenia Chirikova, the leader of the "Ecological Defence of Moscow Region" ("Ekooborona") and the "Movement to Defend Khimki Forest".

"I believe the verdicts are related to the news about the beginning of the recession in the Russian economy: the authorities realize they cannot cope with the economic situation in the country and begin to 'take out' on everyone who irritates them. Ecologists are naturally the first ones from those irritating persons," Evgenia Chirikova has concluded.