Penza, 30 October 2015. PenzaNews. Some 40 people took part in the Penza public rally to honor the legacy of victims of political repressions held by “The Penitence” monument on Moskovskaya street in the afternoon of Friday, October 30.

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However, Tatyana Alfertyeva chairman of the regional branch for the Russian civil rights society “Memorial” and one of the perennial organizers of the event, could not attend it due to an illness.

Among the speakers at the public rally was Andrei Verzhbovskiy, “Na Beregakh Sury” show host for the Penza Channel 11.

“The 30s of the former century were tough times for the Soviet people. Among those who died were thousands of our compatriots. I will name but a few: Meyerhold, Tukhachevsky, Kuraev, regional committee chairman. Almost all were arrested at nearly the same time,” he pointed out.

The renowned Penza citizens were among those innocents accused of crimes they did not commit, Andrei Verzhbovsky added.

“Meyerhold too – he was accused of being a follower of Trotsky, even though he never had to do anything with it. Arrested, shot. If you take Kuraev, one of our streets is named after him, he was even accused of terrorism, even though, naturally, he did not prepare any attack on comrade Stalin,” the show host said.

A Mass of Resurrection was served by a priest during the public rally.