A criminal case has been opened in Arkhangelsk for distributing Yabloko election campaign materials: this is the first such case in Russia.

Propaganda leaflets were manufactured by request Vadim Lapteva, who is running for the State Duma as a candidate from the Yabloko party.

On Monday, the regional electoral commission denied him approval for these booklets. After they began being distributed on the street, a criminal case was opened, and the party's Arkhangelsk branch office was searched.

It is currently unknown under what article the criminal case was opened. 

The party reports that pressure has simultaneously been placed on distributors of campaign materials in Severodvinsk: women who were distributing leaflets approved by the election commission in mailboxes were taken to the police station, threatened with fines of 20 to 30 rubles, and told that they could not distribute the leaflets because they bore the name of the Yabloko party.

UPD

Information about the initiation of a criminal case has not been confirmed. сообщает Yabloko's press service, regarding Vadim Laptev and the accountant of the party's Arkhangelsk branch Ekaterina Tomilova Administrative protocols were drawn up for "the production and distribution of campaign materials in violation of electoral law." These concerned booklets with the slogans "For Peace and Freedom! For Life Without Fear!"