Yakutsk: Residents held a rally against the cancellation of the mayor's election

In Yakutsk on the territory of the square. Yu. Gagarin residents held a rally against the abolition of direct elections of the mayor of the city. This was reported by the publication Sakhaday. The chairman of the Yakut "Yabloko" Anatoly Nogovitsyn after the action was taken to the police department.

About 20 residents took part in the rally. The action was agreed with the mayor of Yakutsk, the initiator of its holding was the regional branch of the Yabloko party.

“If the direct elections of the mayor of Yakutsk are canceled, then the elections of the heads of the districts will be canceled. And then we will not be able to decide anything!” Nogovitsyn said in his speech.

The rally was also performed by deputy Il Tuman Vladimir Zskachin. He graduated from his speech with the words: "For freedom! For democracy!"

In protest against the cancellation of the mayor of Yakutsk, the protesters held a small procession. This was the reason for the detention of Nogovitsyn.

“Allegedly, with a symbolic procession inside a coordinated place in Gagarin’s square, I went beyond the square for 1 meter and therefore they“ forced to ”arrange a violation. I did not expect such a bottom from our policeman,” Nogovitsyn wrote in his telegram.

The activist added that he does not know whether he will be detained in the police before the court. He later clarified that he was detained due to the "position of the city hall" because the protesters did not have the right to move in the Gagarin square.

Update: Anatoly Nogovitsyn was released from the police. According to the politician, he is charged with a violation of the rules of public event. This administrative article provides for a fine of up to 20 thousand rubles.

Nogovitsyn added that tomorrow at the trial would be defended independently, since the lawyers with whom he had preliminary agreements refused to help him.

The police detained a politician, claiming that he entered a meter outside the territory at which the action was agreed.

• The direct elections of mayors are currently in the four administrative centers of Siberia and the Far East: Abakan, Anadire, Khabarovsk and Yakutsk. In 2023, direct elections of mayors of Ulan-Ude and Novosibirsk were canceled.