Today Russias Investigative Committee has detained two
more protestors of May 6, including Nikolai Kavkazsky, ex
YABLOKO activist, member of Committee for Human Rights.
The number of persons made liable and the ways in which the
Investigative Committee acts towards the suspects in violation
of the laws during the opposition march on May 6, clearly
demonstrate that the authorities have been returning to the
Stalinist practices of intimidation and reprisals against
active citizens.
Already 13 people remain in custody, one under home arrest
and two under recognisance not to leave. Not all of them are
activists of political or and human rights groups, even a
handicapped person and young people under 20 are among them.
Judging by the unprecedented size of the investigation team
there may be further arrests. And participation in the opposition
march is qualified as a "participation in mass disorders",
despite the fact that these events did not fit in the description
of mass disorders enlisted in the law. The actions of the
defendants and suspects are investigated without taking into
account the context of the events, and unlawful actions of
the police officers and the situation of self-defence are
not taken into account.
According to the testimony of the detainees, their relatives
and human rights organisations, citizens whose guilt is not
proven are taken to criminal liability. The rights of the
accused were continuously violated, many of them were deprived
of timely assistance of a lawyer, some were forced to testify
against the organizers of the action. Searches were used to
press on suspects and witnesses.
At the same time none of the police officers who used violence
against civilians was made liable. Moreover, policemen participating
in the reprisals at the rally at Bolotnaya Sqaure, Moscow,
were awarded bonuses and apartments.
The suspects and the accused were the first victims of authority
committed to the suppression of the opposition and active
citizens by totalitarian methods and Stalin's unlawful practices.
The Russian united Democratic Party YABLOKO demands from the
authorities to release of all detainees, conduct investigation
and litigation in accordance with the law, and investigate
each case of the police violence.
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party
See also:
Human
Rights
Freedom
of Assembly
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