Translated material
Swamp 2.0
Meetings in Bolotnaya-2 will continue on May 6-exactly on the two-year anniversary of the rally in Bolotnaya Square
On the dock - Alexey Gaskarov, Ilya Gushchin, Elena Kokhtareva and Alexander Margolin. How the first meeting has passed on April 24 - in the report of The New Times 
“Today, according to a rich program,” the bailiffs, standing at the entrance to the Zamoskvoretsky court, are talking. On April 24, there was an opposition day there: at 11 o’clock they began the consideration of the “case of the Brothers Navalny and“ Yves Rocher ”, and at 14.40, with a delay,“ The Bolotnaya Prisoners ”. In the morning, three autosaks were on duty at the court, an iron fence was exhibited, and immediately behind him - the cube of Navalny, on the four sides of which it was set out, which the leader of the Party of Progress did not please the authorities. In short - to everyone. Both meetings took place on one, fourth, floor, but it is impossible to bother: between the halls two more judicial cabinets.
Before the hall of the meeting, where the convoy should deliver from the pre -trial detention center Gaskarov, Gushchina and Margolina, is a crowd: human rights activists, relatives, journalists. A little to the side - Elena Kokhtareva, 59 years old, high, leaning, a sports view of a blonde, who has a non -departure subscription and which immediately, even at the first interrogation of the investigator, pleaded guilty. When asked why she went to the opposition march, he answers that she did not agree with the policy in the country, but respects Putin, and therefore more to protest rallies with a foot: “Everyone shout there:“ Russia without Putin! ” - And I do not agree. Many countries recognize him and also want such a president-maybe we do not understand something then? As in the scripture it is said that there will be a parish from above. So, maybe he has already happened. ” “He” is in the sense of Putin, who came from above. "
"There everyone shouts:" Russia without Putin! " - And I do not agree. Many countries recognize him and also want such a president "
Kokhtareva agreed to a special procedure for the consideration of the case, that is, found herself guilty of both articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation incriminated to her: part 2 of article 212 (“Participation in the riots”) and Article 318 (“Violence for a representative of the authorities”) in exchange for a reduction in the maximum sentence. “The investigators themselves campaigned for this, but then did not allocate the case into a separate proceeding. He says that I could not do anything with the investigators, then I wanted to give them a present. Kokhtareva has been that she assures her, that the consideration of her case would go separately from the rest, but for some reason they did not understand, or the defendant of her investigators, however, Elena emphasizes that the attitude towards her is still special.
Meanwhile, the people at the audience begins to get nervous. "Yes, you will not pass!" -shouted someone from the "support team." "I'll go!" - protested a disheveled man who introduced himself as a public defender. “Half of those who seem to be relatives are generally incomprehensible from where,” complains Dmitry Rukavishnikov, one of the defendants in the “swamp business”, amnestied in December 2013. He, realizing that he is unlikely to go to the meeting room, goes to the first floor where the screen is posted, there are chairs - the trial will be broadcast here. There is another amnesty in the case - Vladimir Akimenkov with his girlfriend.
The young skinny blonde, who first came to court because she wanted to “just support the guys”, carefully interested in the riot police standing nearby, whether it was possible to leave the hall during the meeting, if you need to leave. “Yes, of course, you can go free! But in general, if you want to go free to somewhere, it is better to choose another country for this, ”laughs tanned, pumped up, about fifty-five men in bluish camouflage with the inscription“ riot police ”on his back. “So you are joking with us now, and then you carry the girls in the square in the square,” the man who came to support Alexei Gaskarov tells him.
A closet as a material
The bailiffs open the doors of the courtroom - Elena Kokhtareva picks up a backpack and tries to get inside through the crowd. “Yes, let her go, she walks under the subscription,” the gathered the bailiff, who tries to push her away from the entrance, prompting the gathered. In the corridor they begin to chant: “freedom” - this convoy leads the defendants. Alexander Margolin is all in black, Alexei Gaskarov - in a sweatshirt with the inscription "Do not wait", Ilya Gushchin - in a nondescript gray sweatshirt.
The meeting begins with the fact that lawyer Svetlana Sidorkina is petting for a public defender for Alexei Gaskarov. “The court found that citizen Petrov does not have legal knowledge proposed for protection, moreover, two professional lawyers exercise the defense of Gaskarov,” says Judge Natalya Susina. Refuse.
Prosecutors Alexei Smirnov and Olga Strekalova read out the accusation: “Getting to the calls, took part in the riots, ignoring the instructions of law enforcement agencies ...” These words are mixed. He whispers something with a smile Gaskarov, but he sits, lowering his head, and does not react. Gushchin also becomes serious.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Chelyabinsk Region has lost two helmets” ... “arson” ... “Damage of property” ... - quickly, prosecutors listed with a tongue twister. The bailiff, guarding the “aquarium” with the accused, plays with a service shepherd, trembles her on the withers. The prosecutors, meanwhile, call the damage: police helmets, batons, radio stations, asphalt coating, inverted tools-the same was presented in the “twelve”-“swamp business-1”, the verdict on which was sentenced on February 24 (see the New Times No. 7 of March 3, 2014). "
Olga Gushchina: “I'm not very impressionable. But when Ilya was arrested, I bald. Now the hair has grown up "
“Prosecutors believe that Gaskarov dumped the police officer Ibatullin on the asphalt and“ pulled over ”the soldier of the internal troops of Bulychev, who was standing in the police cordon. GUSHOSH TOUNT that he, as he assures the accusation, grabbed Antonov police officer for the body armor and helmet, causing him“ physical pain ”, impeded the detention of another member of the rally and He threw stones and sticks at the police and Margolin, he puts the accusation, tossed it to the ground and tore off the police officer Bazhnov and “inflicted at least one blow to him with his left foot and at least one right”. In order to prevent the detention, she rushed to the police, grabbed the uniform and struck Kokhtarev, according to the investigation, was able to take “at least three” empty plastic bottles in one hand and throw them into police officers in order to cause bodily injuries.
Kokhtareva says that she understands the accusation and she fully pleads guilty. Gaskarov, Gushchin, Margolin claim that they do not admit guilt and do not understand the accusation.
"Do not say words!"
 |
| Alexander Margolin categorically disagree with the charge. Moscow, Zamoskvoretsky Court, April 24, 2014/Photo: Pavel Golovkin/AP/East News |
“It is not clear to me on the basis of what factors the accusation draws conclusions about my involvement in the breakthrough of the cordon, arson, damage to property, the use of incendiary mixtures and explosives, violence - the qualifying signs of“ riots, ”says Ilya Gushchin, after the prosecutors have finished reading the accusations and whether the defendants agree with the accusation. Margolin echoes him: “I am stirring that the prosecution explains exactly what actions of the crowd they consider to be arson and damage to property and what is my role there? What did I personally do to break through the cordon? How did I prompted someone to be something? Why is it said about the harm to the police and the harm of ordinary people is not described? ” “Mine, Margolin! The secretary cannot record so fast! " Gaskarov also denies his participation in “Massion riots”, which, in his opinion, invented the accusation: “The time and time of the emergence of riots has not yet been established ...” Judge: “Do not say quickly! Or read, otherwise I see what you say in words, ”the judge pulls. Gaskarov claims that he did not apply violence to the police, but recognized the resistance to the actions of the police and added that such resistance is not a criminal violation, but administrative.
The prosecutor asks to start the interrogation of witnesses. But Judge Natalya Susina decides in a different way: she announces a break until May 6 (exactly the two-year anniversary of the rally in Bolotnaya Square), explaining this by the fact that “from morning to evening” cannot do this matter.
"I am very scared"
“During the time that Sasha is in prison, we have many small family joys,” says the father of the defendant Margolina Evgeny Markovich. - My granddaughters at several competitions won. And acquaintances and strangers support us - this is another great joy, even key. ” He holds in his hands a voice recorder, on which he writes the course of the process. He is going to transfer the record to Rosuznik - a project for assistance to prisoners.
“I have no problems with children, as far as possible,” says Elena Margolina's wife. She raises two daughters: Masha, 14 years old, and Anya, 12 years old. “Girls periodically ask why all this lasts so long and why, if dad was not judged before, it is treated like that. I set them up that we need to be patient and wait, ”says Elena. The Margolins are really not easy: Alexander was the only breadwinner of the family (now Elena went to work), and after his arrest they wanted to sell two cars - there was no money at all, but the court arrested these cars.
Mom Ilya Gushchina Olga says about her son: "He was always active." She has in mind the participation of Gushchina in the project “Good Propaganda Machine” by Navalny. In one of the videos of the documentary project, along with other activists, he sings in the train the song of the group “Lube”: “I am in love with you, Russia, in love.” Olga Gushchina continues: “I am not very impressionable. But when Ilya was arrested, I bald. Now the hair has grown, look. ” Olga found out that her son went to the rally only when Ilya was arrested.
For Alexei Gaskarov, this is already a second arrest - in July 2010 he was detained in the case of an attack on the Khimki city administration, he sat in prison a couple of months, after which the court recognized the arrest illegal. “Now he is sitting in Butyrka, and this is compared to the prison, where he was sitting in the“ Khimki business ”, is a rest house. My father and I are joking that he is at least getting enough sleep, ”says Irina Gaskarova.
“I don't know how it all ends. Yes, I admit that I am very scared, ”says the defendant Elena Kokhtareva. After the meeting, she puts on a denim jacket with bright brilliant flowers and uncertainly approaches to the court of the court to journalists. The guards open the heavy gates of the court, from where the police car with the rest of the defendants leaves, the crowd chants: “Freedom!” Kokhtareva picks up her backpack and goes in the opposite direction.