Novorossiysk human rights activist Mikhail Konstantinidi released

On 15 January 2004, after two years and three month in prison, the well-known human rights activist Mikhail Konstantinidi was released. It was made in conformity with the decision of 14 January 2004 by the judge of the Oktyabrsky District Court of Novorossiysk M. Krasov. On 1 October 2001, the same very court sentenced him - the well-known human rights activist and chairman of the NGO Novorossiysk Branch of the Public Committee on Reforms in Russia "Democratic Forum" - to five years' imprisonment with confiscation of property. He was accused of fraud caused extensive damage as he rendered legal services to people and allegedly did it illegally, without being a member of the bar.

Local ecologists and human rights activists believe the authorities started to prosecute Konstantinidi in response to the fact that with his legal assistance, citizens of Novorossiysk gained an unprecedented court victory over Kaspiysk Pipeline Consortium (KTK). In 2000, the court met claims of the Novorossiysk citizens and decided on the illegality of the KTK pipeline construction. By the way, the case against Konstantinidi has not been closed, and he has not been discharged.