Protesters in Moscow spread appeal to General Public Prosecutor to release ecologist Vitishko

Participants of the pickets held in Moscow distributed leaflets of the Amnesty International in support of Evgeny Vitishko and urged the public to send appeals to Yuri Chaika, the General Public Prosecutor of the Russian Federation, asking him to do his utmost for the immediate release of the activist of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus" (EcoWatch).

A series of solo pickets in support of Evgeny Vitishko, an activist of the "EcoWatch", was held on Friday in Moscow's Pushkin Square. About 30 persons gathered there – activists, members of the Amnesty International and ecologists.

The main aim of the action was to draw public attention to Vitishko's case and persecution of ecologists by the authorities, as Evgenia Chirikova, the leader of the "Ecological Defence of Moscow Region" (EcoDefence) and the "Movement to Defend Khimki Forest", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The previous Moscow action in support of Vitishko was held on February 15. Since then, the ecologist was convoyed to the Tambov Region.

Damelya Aitkhozhina, a researcher of the Amnesty International, believes that while considering the case, the court made a number of procedural violations: in particular, the judge failed to study the issue of legality of installation of the fence, on which the inscription was made; the individual responsibility of Vitishko; and his involvement in the incriminated violations of the law.