A left-wing activist who was released from prison in August for organizing anti-government demonstrations in 2012, was summoned on Wednesday as a witness in an investigation into the mass rallies.
“The Investigative Committee officially informed me that I am summoned … for questioning as a witness on Sept. 8,” Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov wrote on Twitter.
Udaltsov was released in early August after serving a 4.5-year term for organizing protests that turned violent on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration on May 6, 2012.
Dozens were charged in a string of cases known as the Bolotnaya case which rights groups criticised as politically motivated.
In an interview with the opposition-leaning Dozhd television channel on Wednesday, Udaltsov said “the investigation won’t see me testifying against someone else.”
He also said the summons could be intended as a form of “exerting moral pressure on me.”
Less than a month after his release, Russian media reported that investigators wanted to question Udaltsov again.
“Seems like the investigation must have forgotten something over the five years,” Udaltsov wrote in a follow-up Twitter post.
Most of those convicted in connection with the Bolotnaya case have since been released. One has been transferred to a mental health facility, while the trial of another activist is still continuing, according to the Mediazona news website.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
