Human rights in Russia Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics: Not just games

Professional activities

In 2002-2006, he worked as a correspondent of the TV shows "Today in Russia" ("Echo", the "RTVI" TV Channel), "Unbelievable Stories" and "Eyewitness" (the "REN-TV" TV Channel), a news editor at the "Accent" TV Channel (Krasnodar), and an editor of the newspaper "Zhizn" (Life) (Krasnodar).

In 2006-2008, he worked as the head of the correspondent point and a correspondent of the "TV Centre" TV Company in Northern Caucasus (Pyatigorsk).

During the period from April 2008 till October 2012, Nikolai Yarst worked as the head of the correspondent point and the correspondent of the "TV Centre" TV Company in Sochi.

Starting from March 2013, Nikolai Yarst works as a correspondent of the autonomous non-commercial organization (ANO) "Russian Public TV" in Sochi.

Nikolai Yarst permanently cooperates with federal TV Channels, including the "Pervy Kanal" TV Channel (the special projects studio, the shows "Dobroe Utro" (Good Morning), "Pust Govoryat" (Let Them Talk), "Bez Kompleksov" (Without Fetishism), the "REN-TV" TV Channel (the analytical TV show "A week with Marianna Maksimovskaya"). He also cooperates with TV shows "Vremechko" (the "ATV" TV Channel), the "24 Hours" (the "REN-TV" TV Channel), and with the project "Stikhiya" (Nature) (the "NTV" TV Channel).

Nikolai Yarst cooperates with foreign media as a producer, reporter, and assistant to chief editor. In particular, he has taken part in the preparation of radio materials and a series of TV stories for the BBC (London) dedicated to Cossacks and historical traditions of the South of Russia.

Professional awards

- the diploma of the Fourth All-Russian contest of journalistic work "Arbitrariness in the law" in the nomination "Violations of socio-economic rights of citizens" in the "TV" section: the diploma for TV story entitled "Dispersal of protest action of entrepreneurs in Krasnodar" on the "RTVI" TV Channel (27.10.2006, Moscow).

- the diploma for highlighting activities of services and departments of the Azov-Black Sea Transport UVD (Interior Department) in connection with the 84th anniversary of the establishment of the transport police in Russia, at the "TV CENTRE" TV Channel (18.02.2003, Krasnodar).

Prosecution

According to an official from the Sochi UVD (Interior Department), the law enforcers found drugs in the detainees' car. The criminal case was instituted on the above fact under Part 2 of Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal possession, purchase, and transport of drugs on a large scale).

Nikolai Yarst claimed their car did not contain the package till the car was stopped by the policemen. Nikolai Yarst himself and his colleagues believe that his prosecution can be associated with his journalist investigation into the disappearance of a 7-year-old girl: after her mother's death, two men claimed their rights to the paternity.

On May 25, the Central District Court of Sochi pronounced to Nikolai Yarst a pre-trial restriction measure in the form of recognizance not to leave.

On May 31, Nikolai Yarst was charged with illegal possession of drugs on a large scale.

On June 3, the Court changed the pre-trial restriction measure against Nikolai Yarst to home arrest.

On June 7, investigator Liana Khachatryan informed Nikolai Yarst and his defence that the investigation had been completed. On June 11, the Nikolai Yarst's advocate reported on reopening of the investigation on newly discovered evidence; however, on June 12, the completion of the investigation was announced once again.

On June 25, Liana Khachatryan, the investigator of the OVD (Interior Division) of the Central District of Sochi, reported that the preliminary investigation into the case against Nikolai Yarst was resumed for the second time.

On July 22, Sergey Plakhotnyuk, prosecutor of the Central District of Sochi, refused to approve the indictment against Nikolai Yarst and returned his case for further investigation.

On December 3, 2013, Liana Khachatryan, the investigator of the OVD of the Central District of Sochi, made the decision to change the pre-trial restriction measure against journalist Nikolai Yarst from home arrest to recognizance not to leave.

On January 17, 2014, at the investigator's request, the GUVD (Chief Interior Department) of the Krasnodar Territory prolonged the investigation into the case against Nikolai Yarst till January 29.
Andrei Vladimirovich Rudomakha

Andrei Rudomakha is a social activist, a coordinator of the NGO "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus", Chairman of the Krasnodar Regional Branch of the "Yabloko" Party, a member of the international public organization "Network of Black Sea NGOs".

Biography

He finished school in the village of the Oktyabrsky of the Severskaya District of the Krasnodar Territory.

Since 1995, Andrei Rudomakha lives in Maikop, the Republic of Adygea.

Environmental activities

In 1988, Andrei Rudomakha was one of the leaders of the public campaign against the construction of the Krasnodar nuclear power plant (NPP) near the village of Mostovsky. As a result of the campaign, the NPP construction was cancelled.

Gas-supply pipeline "Blue Stream"

Ammonia terminal in Taman

In autumn 2004, the construction of the ammonia terminal "Togliattiazot" was stopped because of numerous violations of the law committed by the company.

2014 Olympic Games: ecological problems

In July 2007, Andrei Rudomakha spoke against the idea of building a port in the Imereti lowland. He argued that the construction of Olympic and Olympic-related facilities would destroy the only place in Russia where the wetlands of Colchian type were preserved, the habitat of many rare species of plants and animals.

In 2009, Andrei Rudomakha actively opposed the construction of Olympic facilities "Combined road of Adler-Krasnaya Polyana" and related destruction of valuable woodlands.

In the period from December 2010 till March 2011, Andrei Rudomakha took part in an unsuccessful attempt to save the unique natural complexes of Vidny Cape, on which territory officials planned to build Olympic facility "Single-track detour of Vidny Cape from seaside".

Struggle against construction in "Bolshoi Utrish"

In late November 2008, officials launched the construction of the access road to the new residence as a "forest fire-fighting road". Andrei Rudomakha initiated a series of official letters to law enforcement bodies, and, as a result, the Azov-Black Sea Environmental Prosecutor's Office found the construction unlawful.

Nevertheless, the construction continued. Together with other activists, Andrei Rudomakha participated in actions of civil resistance held in January 2009, and they managed to stop the construction.

In October-December 2010, Andrei Rudomakha became one of the organizers of a series of mass protests in Krasnodar, aimed to prevent the resumption of construction of the road in Utrish. On December 5 and December 12, he was detained by militiamen, when participating in those protest actions.