17:31, 6 August 2015

Defence appeals against refusal to commutate Vitishko's punishment

An appeal asking to revoke the ruling to reject clemency of the Krasnodar ecologist Evgeny Vitishko has been lodged to the court.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Evgeny Vitishko, an activist of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus", is serving his term in the Tambov Region, awarded to him under the case of damaging the fence around the territory, known as the "dacha" of Alexander Tkachov, who was then the governor of the Krasnodar Territory. On July 31, the court refused to commutate his punishment and replace his remaining term by restriction of freedom.

In the complaint, the defence asks to cancel the above refusal and commutate Vitishko's punishment, the RAPSI quotes the August 6 reports of Sergey Loktev, Vitishko's advocate.

"Our complaint will be considered by the Tambov Regional Court," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Mr Loktev as saying.