The Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg lacked two votes so that to adopt Grigory Yavlinsky’s bill on equipping police stations and cars with video cameras. The initiative was supported by the following factions: YABLOKO, the Communist Party, the majority of the Just Russia. Even Vyacheslav Makarov, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and leader of the United Russia faction, voted for the bill. Thus the bill gathered 24 votes in its favour. However, another 24 deputies present at the plenary session did not participate in the vote and did not allow to adopt the law.

Speaking to the MPs, Yavlinsky mentioned the example of Tatarstan, where the tragedy in one of the police stations where a detained man died of tortures made the President of Tatarstan promise to install video cameras in all the police departments and this promise has almost been fulfilled. «Last year a young man died in one of St. Petersburg police stations,» said Yavlinsky.

He stressed that the installation of video cameras could help to observe the rights and legitimate interests of not only the citizens but also the police in the case of illegal and provocative behavior on the part of detainees. Thus, in Moscow thanks to surveillance cameras police managed to prove that a detainee had staged beatings. «If not for the video, some young officers could have been behind bars,» said Grigory Yavlinsky.

«The availability of video content will increase the efficiency of the police and the confidence of the citizens», said YABLOKO leader.

Alexei Kovalyov, leader of the Just Russia faction, and communist Alexei Vorontsov called to support YABLOKO’s initiative. United Russia’s MP Alexey Timofeyev spoke against the bill.