In November this year communist Vladimir Bessonov, then a parliamentarian at the State Duma (CPRF) was convicted by the Court of Rostov-on-Don City on charges of use of violence against authority during his rally with voters organised with participation of three parliamentary opposition parties.

Five minutes before the end of the meeting, the police, under the command of the head of the Rostov region police, organised a provocative action. Specifically, police officers, some of whom were armed, aggressively and illegally cut off and broke up the rally being held by opposition representatives.

In fact the security forces made very serious allegations against Vladimir Bessonov, who was justifiably reacting against the authorities’ illegal attempts to break up the rally and finally he was sentenced to imprisonment.

Defendant's lawyers rightly believe that the Court has violated the significant articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation as well as the ones of the European Convention on Human Rights. Moreover, it has disregarded some key evidences like videotapes, expert’s conclusions as well as testimony of of 53 eye-witnesses.

“Bessonov’s case ” confirms that persecution of a prominent, consistent and well-known opposition activist in Russia, is another example of provocation against those who has position different from that of authority’s aspirations. Ultimatly it is aimed at reducing protest and opposition activity in Russia as a whole.

The participants of the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Worker’s Parties strongly condemn that judicial persecution of communist Vladimir Bessonov based on allegations and demand the reverse of his unlawful sentence.

Signed by:

1. Party of Labour of Austria
2. Communist Party of Belgium
3. New Communist Party of Britain
4. AKEL, Cyprus
5. Communist Party of Estonia
6. Unified Communist Party of Georgia
7. Communist Party of Greece
8. Hungarian Workers' Party
9. Tudeh Party of Iran
10. Communist Party of Malta
11. Communist Party of Mexico
12. Communist Party of Norway
13. Communist Party of Pakistan
14. Palestinian Communist Party
15. Paraguayan Communist Party
16. Portuguese Communist Party
17. Romanian Socialist Party
18. Communist Party of the Russian Federation
19. UCP-CPSU
20. New Communist Party of Yugoslavia
21. Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain
22. Communist Party of Sri Lanka                             
23. Sudanese Communist Party
24. Communist Party of Swaziland