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Investigative Committee Investigation into Estemirova killing Komi police detain rights defender Seven people abducted in Chechnya Demo for direct elections of mayor First gay rights rally gets official sanction Udaltsov acquitted for organizing demo Party banned from boycotting election ODIHR criticizes Russia, calls for election monitoring Investigations into deaths of journalists First official fired over income declaration |
Justice system On 27/9 President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree separating the Investigative Committee from the Prosecutor General's Office. (The Moscow Times, 28/9) Human rights defenders Investigative Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin said on 28/9 investigators have identified the gunman who killed Natalya Estemirova in July 2009 but gave no details about the identity or motives of the suspect. (The Moscow Times, 29/9) According to reports, police in Komi detained almost all members of the board of Komi Memorial on the eve of Prime Minister Putin’s visit to the Republic. (hro.org, 28/9) Chechnya Memorial Human Rights Centre reported that security forces abducted seven people from the village of Davydenko, Achkhoi-Martan district, on 24/9. (hro.org, 29/9) Right of assembly The largest officially permitted demonstration in recent years of up to 3,000 people took place on 25/9 in Moscow and called for direct elections for Moscow mayor. (Kommersant.ru, 27/9) On 1/10 gay rights activists held the first gay rights street protest sanctioned by City Hall, picketing the office of a Swiss airline they believe mistreated their leader. (The Moscow Times, 3/10) Moscow’s Tverskaya district court acquitted Sergei Udaltsov, on trial for organizing the Day of Anger demonstration in Moscow on 12/9 that had no official sanction. (Grani.ru, 27/9) Electoral rights On 29/9 the Central Elections Commission banned the Communist Party from boycotting the 10/10 legislative vote in the Krasnodar region. (The Moscow Times, 30/9) Janez Lenarcic, director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, criticized Russia for breaking up demonstrations and said the ODIHR wished to monitor Russia's next elections “without any restrictions.” (Kommersant 1/10) Media rights On 30/9 the Investigative Committee said probes have been reopened into the deaths of five journalists after it received new information from the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. (The Moscow Times, 30/9) Corruption President Dmitry Medvedev fired a first official (Major General Viktor Gaidukov of the Defence Ministry) for providing false information about his earnings. (The Moscow Times, 30/9) |
