Opposition leader and former State Duma deputy Dmitry Gudkov left Russia and is now in Ukraine. He announced this on his telegram channel.
”And that is why I believe that by staying in the country, I can no longer be effective in an environment where, in fact, any political activity leads to prison terms not only for the politicians themselves but also for their supporters and relatives, ” — Gudkov writes.
Why and where did the opposition leader go?
Dmitry Gudkov said that he left Russia because of the criminal prosecution in the case of causing property damage. It was initiated due to non-payment of a debt under a lease agreement for non-residential premises from the Moscow City Hall (this room was rented in 2015-2017). On June 1, the opposition leader was detained for two days before the trial. Irina Ermilova, Gudkov’s aunt, was also detained as a suspect. On June 3, he was released with an obligation to appear, and Yermilova-without a preventive measure. Gudkov’s lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, said that the opposition leader did not break the law by leaving the country. Now Dmitry Gudkov is in Ukraine, and then plans to go to Bulgaria, where his relatives are located.
What does the Kremlin think about this?
The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin is not following the case and the departure of Gudkov. He also agreed that the departure of the opposition leader from the country is absolutely legal.
“No, absolutely not. If this is a legal departure from the country-any citizen can if he does not have any encumbrances, lose his rights. He can perfectly leave the country, return to the country, or not return to the country. This is an absolutely free process,” — the press secretary said.
