02 July 2007, 13:25
People detained during "Disagreement March" in Riazan claim being tortured and beaten
The participants of recent "Disagreement March" in Riazan are being beaten and tortured by militia. "Ekho Moskvy" reports that the information has been provided by Alexandre Averin, one of the organizers of the opposition action. According to Averin, law enforcement officers started to beat the detainees straight in the militia unit building. The oppositionists intend to complain to the prosecutor's office.
On Saturday, June 30, about 200 "dissidents" came to the central square of Riazan, 15 of them were detained and brought to militia.
Garry Kasparov, leader of the "United Civil Front", states that "marches have altered the image of the Russian opposition in many respects. It proves to be possible to built cooperation between different opposition forces and realistically shape an opposition basis which is capable of confronting the Kremlin."