Participants in antiwar picket detained in Moscow

The regular antiwar picket that has been held on Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow every Thursday for already four years was dispersed by the Moscow police on March 11.

As the agency learnt from one of the action participants, after the picket had begun, police officers declared the permission for the holding of the action given by the prefecture was annulled. Nevertheless, 10-15 people who gathered by 7 p.m. hoisted their posters and continued the picket. In about 10 minutes, the police detained Yevgeny Frumkin, Elena Batenkova, and Mikhail Kriger, who protested against the war in Chechnya. They were conveyed to the Tverskoye police department.

A duty officer at the Tverskoye police department confirmed the fact of the detention of three participants in the picket to the agency. He explained this was true that the permission had been annulled by the prefect of Moscow's Central district. He also said the detainees would be talked to and then released.

The Constitution of Russia and federal legislation provide for the right of citizens to assemble freely and to hold peaceful street actions, informing a local administration about it in advance. The legislation does not provide for giving any permission for the holding of such actions.