Translated material
Alexander Margolin: An exemplary family man
On the eve of the three years of events on May 6 in Moscow, Radio Liberty publishes materials about the "Prisoners of Bolotnaya"
On May 6, he has been performed for three years since the opposition campaign "Millions Mart" in Bolotnaya Square in Moscow, which served as the basis for a criminal case of riots. Now there are already more than 30 defendants in the case, and despite the fact that three years have passed, investigators have not left attempts to hold the new, from their point of view, violators of the law.
In 2015, the "Swamp Delo" was replenished with two more defendants-human rights activist Natalya Pelevina and design engineer Ivan Nepomnyans . On the eve of the next anniversary of the action on Bolotnaya Square on the air of Radio Freedom, materials dedicated to the "Bolotnaya prisoners" sound. Today we will talk about a 43-year-old candidate of economic sciences, a publisher from Moscow Alexander Margolin , who was sentenced to 3.5 years in colony for participating in the riots and the use of violence in relation to police officers.
Nothing was known about Alexander Margolin until February 2013, when he was detained on charges of participating in the riots and the use of violence against police officers. According to investigators, on May 6, Margolin threw the policeman to the ground and inflicted several blows to him. In August 2014, the Zamoskvoretsky court found Margolin guilty and sentenced to 3.5 years in a general regime colony. In January, he was transferred to a correctional institution in the Ryazan region.
Alexander Margolin in the Basmanny Court, 2013
Close by Alexander Margolin emphasize: he was far from political and public activism-he did not participate in the activities of any parties or organizations, and devoted all his free time to the family and children. He graduated from Moscow State University of Press, received the degree of candidate of economic sciences and worked in the publishing business before arrest.
For the first time in a protest event, Margolin participated in December 2011 - in the rally on pure ponds against the results of elections to the State Duma. On May 6, he was on Bolotnaya Square with his father and, as Evgeny Margolin admits, the sensations from that action were from the demonstrations of the Soviet era: "We go - for a walk, the general subject of which is clear." What happened next, the wife of Margolina - Elena - calls the "crazy house." Alexander himself in court repeatedly explained his actions on Bolotnaya by the necessary defense.
Evgeny Margolin, father, about a date with his son in a colony:
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Evgeny Margolin about his son
You sit on one side - in front of you is glass, it sits on the other hand - in front of it is glass, the grate shares the glass, and we talk on the phone
- From Ryazan it is 30 kilometers, a small village is Stenkino. And its city -forming factor is this colony. It is surrounded by a concrete fence, the territory is quite large - there are about 1,500 people. Of course, it is impossible to get into the colony. We arrived there early in the morning. There is such a window in which they receive programs and give out pieces of paper on dates. We arrived, without any delay received forms for the transfer of products and blanks for dates. The bosses of the colony, which is sitting in the house-staff outside the colony, signed this statement. We waited for the hour when they launched into the room where the date was going on, waited for Sasha and talked with him. About the same situation as in the Moscow pre -trial detention center. You are sitting on the one hand - in front of you is glass, it sits on the other hand - in front of it is glass, the grate shares the glass, and we talk on the phone.
- How long does this date last?
- This time we had three hours.
- What does he say? How is he there, how does his life work?
Evgeny Margolin
- He calls almost every day. This is possible, they have a special taxophone there, we transfer money to his phone. So we are aware of what is happening there. No special events occur in the colony, a monotonous life. In the colony, as he says, he is in the corps. The room is quite spacious, but there are a lot of people. In the block in which it is now placed, about 30-40 people. Two -story beds. They support the purity themselves. The daily routine is installed: when lunch, when the hunger. The colony has a industrial zone where prisoners work. He is in a sewing workshop. I have already learned how to twist the sewing machine and sews what it is supposed to. This colony is intended mainly for those who first got there. There is no criminals and relapse there. The guys are all young. But they sit on different articles: someone for theft, someone for drugs. There are no killers and terrible bloodsuckers there. Relations within the Zekovsky contingent are normal. This is not to say that there were some stiffness. The staff is also normal, he has no complaints.
- How does he hold? What is his mood?
- The situation, of course, is gloomy. Being in conclusion is negligent, so there has never been a violent fun. But, of course, when we come on dates, conversations with jokes-converters, with jokes. It is clear that his mood is even, but not brilliant. But there is no despondency and some cost.
Elena Margolina, spouse, about the events of May 6:
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Elena Margolina about her husband
I tell that dad this time tried to help people so that they would not be beaten, and for this he suffered. Children perceive everything philosophically and extremely patient
- A lot of people came to the rally, and my friends, and Sashin was there, was there, and they were with children, and there were older ones. I myself did not go, because you don’t really look like children, we always have some additional classes, the youngest is in my art studio, that is, there is not much free time, even on weekends. But so I would also be there. This was perceived, to be honest, like a crazy house. I understand that due to general fear, because of provocations, people, perhaps, began to behave wrong. But as long as I know my husband, he is extremely adequate. He could not raise his hand to someone. All conflicts have always been resolved by the dialogue. He taught both children and in the family, and his parents and mine. Violence was unacceptable. I saw the record: what happened there was a nightmare. What followed later is a complete shock. Disordant people who thundered for several years are terrible.
The family of Alexander Margolin
Elena Margolina, wife, about meeting Alexander Margolin:
- We have known each other for 25 years. In this March, I went on a long date, just Sasha pledged, I ordered these dates. We met in the 1st year of the institute. All the time I know him, he made the impression of the most important person who is ready to help friends. He will never leave in trouble. Probably, thanks to this, his quality is now much easier for me to experience what is happening because friends did not leave us, they help, for which many thanks to them. Sasha did this all his life. When we met, he appeared at a donor blood point. He was a donor for several years in a row until his health stopped this matter. Was always an example for many of our friends. We were an exemplary married couple, and now we remain even more so. He devoted almost all his free time to the family - we have two daughters. This is the most important thing. He loved and loves football, we both watched, but this is so, sometimes, on the weekend. Basically, he spent the whole weekend, vacation days with his family. With children he helped as only the best father can do.
- How do children now perceive what is happening? Do you tell them?
- Yes, sure. They are both quite adults. I tell that dad this time tried to help people so that they would not be beaten, and for this he suffered. In principle, children perceive everything philosophically and extremely patiently. I am simply amazed at their stamina and support that they can provide to me, and grandparents, who are now the hardest. We managed to agree with them so much that there are no tantrums, despair. We have patient and wait.
Once, as King Solomon said, it all ends-it ends and this
Evgeny Margolin, father, about the work and hobbies of his son:
- He graduated from the Printing University, worked in the publishing business, in different departments and directions. He worked in firms that traded equipment, worked in the publishers themselves, in the editorial offices, worked as a financial director, even the general director of some publishing company was. In general, such an experienced one. He is a candidate of economic sciences. He defended the dissertation completely in his youth, on the eve of his 26th birthday. The dissertation has not yet lost its relevance, because it refers to business planning in the publishing region. He applied this knowledge in practice, when the goods were sold, transformations took place in those companies where he worked ... He was fond of this matter. I do not know any other hobbies, so that he would cut something out or strict or fishing. This is not. All his free time from work is his girls, daughters. This is a complete mutual adoration. The eldest this year will be 16, and the youngest will be 13. If we talk about a hobby - he is a terrible fan of the CSKA football team. He has a bunch of friends, friends, acquaintances in this matter. This is his only non -working and off -shock attachment. Like many people in our country, especially intellectually developed, he understood that not everything is fine around, and expressed his attitude to this. Therefore - this is how they went in Soviet times at the demonstration, and here, how for a walk - the general topic of walking is understandable. There were tens of thousands of people .. The fact that such a fate fell on him, well, this happens.
- How do you worry about this time? How do you hold on? What gives you the strength not to give up?
-Well, first of all, nowhere to go. You surrender or do not give up, life continues. None of us want to climb into the loop. Once, as Tsar Solomon said, it all ends-this will end. There are granddaughters with whom we maintain a close connection, we see that they need us. There is a son himself, who is also important that we are in normal condition. The first thing he asks when he calls: "How is mom?" Therefore, we, you want, do not want, we have to hold on.
Zoya Svetova, member of the Moscow Public Supervisory Commission, journalist, about Alexander Margolin for the action "One day - one name" prepared by the "Committee of May 6":
If the sentence of Alexander Margolin will not be reduced (this can happen if he is released conditionally or accepted by the law, according to which one day in a pre-trial detention center is read out for two), he will be released in August 2016.