Advocate points to violations during search at Vyacheslav Yaschenko

The law enforcers' actions when conducting a search of the home of Vyacheslav Yaschenko, a "Caucasian Knot" journalist, in Volgograd were at odds with the search order signed by the investigator, the advocate has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today policemen have searched the home of Vyacheslav Yaschenko, a "Caucasian Knot" journalist living in Volgograd, taking away his laptop and storage media. They explained that the search was conducted within the case of the activist Evgeny Kochegin*, accused of spreading fakes about the Russian Army.

The search was conducted with violations, Sergey Artyushkov, an advocate, has emphasized.

"The search was conducted on January 18, although the investigator's order states that the search is urgent and should be conducted on January 17. I believe that this is a violation and gives grounds to appeal against the search order," Mr Artyushkov believes.

According to his story, if the search order is cancelled, the seized items – the system unit, hard drive, storage device and the correspondent's personal mobile phone – must be returned to Yaschenko.

Vyacheslav Yaschenko can be interrogated only after receiving a summons, the advocate has added.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.