Russian satirist Viktor Shenderovich arrested for supporting the opposition

In Moscow on 28 November several members of the press were detained for covering a single-person picket outside the building of the Central Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow in support of the jailed leader of the United Civic Front Garry Kasparov.

The picketers – leader of the youth movement Illya Yashin and the writer and journalist Viktor Shenderovich – were also detained.

Shenderovich arrived at the building with a placard reading “Free Kasparov!”

Police officers took him to the district (“Tverskoy”) police station where they questioned him and then issued a summons to appear on 29 November before a judge to decide on preventive measures for the infringement  [the original does not specify the infringement – translator].

As already reported, after the “March of those in dissent” [Marsh niesoglashnykh”], Kasparov was jailed for five days. Kasparov has spoken of numerous flagrant procedural irregularities.

The Executive Director of the United Civic Front Denis Belunov said that Kasparov had been beaten while being detained, and that there were concerns about him having to eat and drink what they gave him in the prison.  Kasparov told the French press that he feared for his own life and for his country.

Viktor Shenderovich – humorist and patriot – was born in 1958 in Moscow. He has received a number of literary awards for his humorous writing, and is the author of many books and numerous works in the press.

He stood as an independent candidate for the State Duma in 2005, but was not elected. He has decided to stand again this year, explaining that: “today in Russia there is no parliament, just as there is no just court, nor free press. They have all long since turned into departments of the Kremlin administration”.