19 April 2004, 16:45
Opposition activists detained in Kalmykia
Representatives of three political parties and two journalists of the Sovetskaya Kalmykia newspaper were detained by police officers in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, on April 17, before a meeting of the Russian President's Plenipotentiary in the South Federal District Vladimir Yakovlev with the town public.
The meeting took place in the Kalmyk Dramatic Theatre. When three hours passed after the detention, no formal charges had been brought against the detainees and no report had been drawn up. According to the newspaper, all the detained men are oppositionists known in the republic. Besides, Vitaly Kadayev, the photographer for the Sovetskaya Kalmykia who shot the detention was assaulted. Policemen tried to take away his camera but failed.
Source: REGNUM News Agency
