Russian Panel Eyes Alleged Foreign Interference in Protests
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 11:03 am
Police detain an activist during a protest in the center of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019. People rallied Saturday against the exclusion of some city council candidates from Moscow's upcoming election.
Russia's lower house of parliament has set up a commission to examine alleged cases of foreign interference in connection with a series of protests against the Moscow city election.
The commission established Monday by the State Duma holds its first session on Aug. 30.
Rally, Pickets Call for Fair Moscow Elections
About 4,000 people have held a rally in Moscow to demand fairness in upcoming city council elections, and solo pickets protesting the exclusion of some opposition and independent candidates are taking place at prominent monuments
Thousands of people have marched to protest the election board's exclusion of some opposition and independent candidates from the Sept. 8 Moscow city council election. Two of the unauthorized demonstrations were harshly broken up by police, who detained more than 2,000 people.
Andrei Isayev of the dominant United Russia party in the Duma said the interference includes a U.S. Embassy travel warning that publicized the time and venue for the unauthorized protests. He also cited alleged calls by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle on social media to participate in the protests.