Astrakhan resident accuses Moscow police of "arrest by mistake"

Sergey Marchukov, a resident of Astrakhan, was arrested for 15 days for participating in a rally held in Red Square in Moscow. According to his version, he occurred in Moscow by transit, and happened to be near the Kremlin while walking around the capital.

Sergey Marchukov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that on that day he was waiting for his train to Astrakhan, scheduled for the evening; he already had a railway ticket on him. In order not to wait at the railway station, he decided to visit the Red Square.

"I was approaching the square and saw a cordon; I came up to policemen and asked if I could pass through. They allowed. After walking around the square, I tried to get out, but they didn't let me to do it, explaining that policemen had an order from their bosses to let people in but not out. I showed them my Moscow-Astrakhan ticket; but they didn't let me out and asked to go to the paddy wagon. I was brought to a police station, where no one questioned me for twenty-four hours. By the evening of November 6, I was invited to a talk and wrote an explanation that there was no disobedience to the police on my part and that I happened to be on November 5 in the square by occasion," said Sergey Marchukov.

On November 7, the Tver District Court of Moscow accused Marchukov of obstructing policemen from performing their official duties and sentenced him to 15 days of administrative arrest.

The defence of Marchukov is preparing an appeal against this court judgement.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.