Krasnodar Territory: Novorossiysk militia puts pressure on human rights defenders

According to the information of the "Novorossiysk Committee for Human Rights," on January 23, 2007, a meeting of human rights activists and students with their guests from Germany in Novorossiysk (Krasnodar Territory) was interrupted by representatives of law enforcement bodies who appeared in the number of 15 persons.

On January 30, a trial took place under chair of judge Vera Abshtyr who found Marina Dubrovina guilty of committing an administrative offence and fined her by 500 roubles.

On February 1, the same judge also found Mr. Serdyuk, V. I., director of the Erzya arts school, guilty of organizing a non-sanctioned meeting and fined him by 1000 roubles.

Now, all other participants of that meeting are summoned by district militiamen to militia unit for a talk, then a protocol is drawn up on an administrative offence, and at once the newly-opened case is delivered to the court.

Human rights activists have refused to react to the summons, drawn up with infringements.

On February 1, militia members applied illegal actions to human rights defenders Karastelyova, T. V., and Karastelyov, V. E., who were driving in a car; the fact will be appealed against at the court.