HRC "Memorial" calls on to release Darya Polyudova

According to the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", Krasnodar activist Darya Polyudova is being prosecuted in connection with the non-violent exercise of the right to freedom of expression, on the charge of committing an offense with no constituent elements of offence.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in December 2015, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Krasnodar found Darya Polyudova guilty of public calls for separatism and extremism. The activist was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a penal settlement-colony. Darya Polyudova is included in the list of political prisoners compiled by the HRC "Memorial".

Darya Polyudova was one of the organizers of the "March for Federalization of Kuban", which was to be held in August 2014, but failed. The event was to be directed against the Russian policy towards Ukraine.

"The right to carry out such an action, actually disrupted, and the right to express in public own opinion regarding topical issues of Russian and international policies are provided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation," announces the statement of the HRC "Memorial" received today by the "Caucasian Knot".

Besides, the human rights defenders also criticized the prosecution of the activist in connection with the placement in the social network "VKontakte" of a photo of a solo picket held involving Darya Polyudova. According to the human rights defenders, the above photo shows the activist, who was holding in her hands a poster with a handwritten inscription about Ukraine, which did not call for violence or unlawful activities. Thus, the human rights defenders state that the photo cannot give rise to criminal prosecution.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.