Russian Public Figures announce formation of Roundtable
A group of prominent Russian public figures have announced the formation of “Roundtable 12 December” (this being Constitution Day) to seek ways for a peaceful change of regime.
The founding meeting was held on Monday. Its participants included: former political prisoner and Russia’s first Human Rights Ombudsperson Sergei Kovalev; Head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Ludmila Alexeeva; writers Vladimir Voinovych and Alexander Kabakov; politicians Boris Nemtsov, Mikhail Kasyanov and Vladimir, and others.
The appeal passed calls for:
the immediate release of all political prisoners;
for the elections to the State Duma to be declared void
changes to electoral legislation;
removal of obstacles to registration of parties;
appointment of a new head of the Central Election Commission
Give us new elections!