Ecologists arrested in Krasnodar Territory ask for asylum in Germany

Two activists of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus", who were arrested after their picnic action in the Tuapse Region of Kuban (unofficial name of the Krasnodar Territory), have addressed the German Embassy in Moscow with a request for political asylum.

The ecologists were detained on February 27. In total, 19 persons were arrested; now, four of them are still in custody - Dmitry Shevchenko, Suren Gazaryan, Zufar Achilov and Evgeniy Vitishko. They were moved to the IVS (temporary detention facility) in Tuapse and accused of disobeying militiaman's demands. On February 28, the Tuapse Magistrate Court passed guilty verdicts against the four members of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus".

Sergey Bogdanov, ecologists' advocate, said that applications to the German Embassy were lodged by Zufar Achilov, who was released on March 4 from the Tuapse IVS, and Suren Gazaryan, whose custody will expire on March 6, the "Interfax" reports.

Om March 2, the arrested ecologists went on hunger strike in protest against the verdict. On the day, when their complaint was considered by the court, on March 4, protest actions demanding to release the detained ecologists were held in Moscow, Krasnodar and Tuapse.