We did everything we could. First, we filed a complaint with the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office over the police’s unlawful actions in denying us access to the premises. Then we took the same complaint to the Basmanny District Court. Then to the Simonovsky District Court.
The “investigative actions” on March 26 were carried out without lawyers, attesting witnesses, or foundation staff present. We have no information about who the people were that removed equipment from the ACF office, or on what grounds they were acting. We do not know why our office was sealed off, or why, despite that, outsiders have been walking through it at night.
Well, since the legal status of the blockade of our office is unclear, and the prosecutor’s office and the courts are not responding to our requests, we decided to go inside. We have to work somewhere, after all.
The seal on our door had been taped on, so we peeled off the tape and went in.
This is what we saw:
We called the guys from the invited film crew who had been helping organize the broadcast, so they could collect the remaining equipment and make a list of what had been stolen from them. We made similar lists ourselves.
Today we have a major cleanup ahead of us, and starting Monday we’ll be working from here as usual.
We are not withdrawing our demand that the stolen equipment be returned. On Monday, we will file a complaint with the Prosecutor General’s Office.
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