Russian Embassy rejects Reinsalu criticism of recent events in Moscow
The Russian Embassy in Estonia published a statement on Monday in response to criticism by Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) of arrests that took place in Moscow on Saturday, July 27.
"We appreciate the interest displayed by the foreign minister of Estonia toward domestic political events in our country, including the ones related to the upcoming elections to the Moscow City Duma," the Russian Embassy wrote on its Facebook page.
Hopefully, Estonia "will react in the same considerate way to multiple recommendations from international organizations regarding the electoral rights of 75,000 so-called non-citizens, including a call voiced in a report of the OSCE's [Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights] following the Riigikogu elections in March to grant full voting rights to people with undetermined citizenship."
"These arrests, the disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters and the pressuring of opposition politicians with arrests and police raids in recent days deeply undermine fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation: the freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly," Reinsalu said in a statement regarding Saturday's events in Moscow released on Monday, calling on Russia to comply with these freedoms.
According to the information of OVD-Info, an organization that tracks protests, a total of 1,373 people were arrested at a protest on Saturday where participants demanded that opposition candidates be allowed to register to run in the Moscow City Duma elections to be held on Sept. 8.
A total of 203 administrative offense cases launched in connection with the protest were filed with Moscow courts on Monday.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla