Paris, 21 February 2014 – Today the Zamoskvoretskiy Moscow Court issued a verdict in the most important political case in modern Russia. Eight participants of the “March of the Millions” organised on Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square on 6 May 2012 were found guilty of participating in “mass riots” and using “violence against the police”. FIDH condemns the verdict and demands immediate release of Bolotnaya prisoners, who have already spent over a year and a half in arbitrary detention.
Sentences will be announced on Monday 21 February 2014, at 10:30 am Moscow time. Alexandra Naumova, Stepan Zimin, Alexey Polikhovich, Artem Savelov, Yaroslav Belousov, Denis Lutskevich, Andrei Barabanov and Sergei Krivov risk up to 6 years of imprisonment.
“This verdict is absolutely unacceptable. It punishes peaceful protesters. The prosecutors failed to prove that the events of 6 May amount to mass riots” , said Karim Lahidji, FIDH President. “All prisoners of the 6 May must be released.”
Hundreds of people protested today outside the Zamoskvoretskiy Moscow Court. Reportedly over a hundred peaceful protesters have been arrested in a violent way by the police for attempting to “disrupt public order”. FIDH demands their immediate release.
Russia: Entire Bolotnaya process marred by institutional lie