Police disperse public meeting in Kabardino-Balkaria

The parents of the rebels killed in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria on 13 October 2005 gathered near the mosque which houses the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Kabardino-Balkaria at 11:00 o'clock this morning. In compliance with the law, they had warned the Nalchik authorities by giving written notice three days before the picket.

In spite of that, police and a great number of people in camouflage uniforms had gathered at the scene before the meeting began. Three trucks with riot police officers had been called in too, but they stood at a distance, just in case.

The police took away the women's placards and signs which they broke and trampled down at once. They next began to disperse the women, in a rude manner. They tried to force lawyer Larissa Dorogova and journalist Fatima Tlisova into a car and drive them away somewhere. They also took away the cassette from journalists of the state television and radio broadcasting company who were trying to shoot the developments. And they took away Ms Tlisova's ID card.

The police kept on saying that all that was illegal and that permission of the city administration was required for the action. The law on public meetings, demonstrations and pickets says though that notifying authorities is enough.

In her comment on the dispersal of the picket, lawyer Larissa Dorogova said that "all this is happening because Kabardino-Balkaria is not governed by politics, but, as before, by law enforcement and security agencies who are incapable of any actions except crushing people and killing them."

• Public meetings may be banned on the sly