Russia hosts actions in defence of political prisoners

A meeting of the Russian State Duma Deputy from the "Spravedlivaya Rossiya" (Fair Russia) Party Ilya Ponomaryov with supporters of Sergey Udaltsov, the arrested coordinator of the "Left-Wing Front", took place in Moscow, in Pushkin Square within the all-Russian action in defence of political prisoners. Pickets on the topic were held also in other cities, in particular, in Sochi and Krasnodar.

The format of the meeting with a deputy was chosen in Moscow after the city authorities had refused to sanction the rally. According to Ilya Ponomaryov, the event was attended by about 500 people.

The meeting was held in the format of "free microphone": everyone could ask the MP a question and share ideas. Individual participants were getting out their homemade posters and banners and chanted slogans. As a rule, it did not last more than one or two minutes.

The police warned the audience that demonstration of posters, banners and chanting slogans were unacceptable for a meeting with an MP and asked to stop that. "Your action has not been coordinated," said the police through a megaphone.

Still, according to eyewitnesses, the meeting passed without incidents and accidents. The police behaved correctly and politely, the "Interfax" reports.

According to Radio Liberty, the event was attended by politicians Vladimir Ryzhkov and Boris Nemtsov, musician Mikhail Arkadiev and Deputy Oleg Smolin.

Mr Ponomaryov said that on January 7 a similar event would be held near the Tver Court of Moscow, located in Tsvetnoi Boulevard; on that day, the above court will consider a complaint against the decision of the latest administrative arrest of Sergey Udaltsov, the leader of the "Left-Wing Front".

Picketer detained in Krasnodar

In Krasnodar, the ecologist Suren Gazaryan held a picket, while dressed as Santa Claus, in support of Yaroslav Nikitenko, an activist in defence of the Khimki Forest, and Sergey Udaltsov, the coordinator of the "Left-Wing Front", arrested in Moscow.

An administrative protocol was drawn up against him under Part 1, Article 20.2 (a violation of the rules for holding rallies, marches or pickets) of the Administrative Code.

The court ruled to fine an ecologist by 2000 roubles. Suren Gazaryan was not present at the session.

Pickets in support of political prisoners held in Sochi

Today in Sochi, several members of the Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus have also approached the city administration aiming to hold solo pickets within the All-Russian action in defence of political prisoners.

From the premises of the administration, the picket moved to the building of the Sochi UVD (Interior Department), where the human rights defender Sergey Basmanov is kept, arrested on December 23 for 10 days. So far, no detentions and incidents in the course of the action were reported, the Word-Sochi.ru writes.

A series of solo pickets was also held in other Russian cities, including St Petersburg and Ufa.

A picket with a demand to release Sergey Udaltsov, Yaroslav Nikitenko and Taisiya Osipova, an activist of "The Other Russia", as well as other opposition activists detained in Moscow, whom their supporters regard as political prisoners, will be held also in Rostov-on-Don. The action in the format of a flash mob will take place on December 30.