On Tuesday the first of eight daily pickets in defence of political prisoners was held in Moscow

The protests are taking place from midday to 8 pm by the statue of Alexander Pushkin in the centre of Moscow. A single protesting picketer will stand there every weekday until Friday, 13 June. Those taking part are the National Bolsheviks, the United Civil Front, the Defence and Change (Smena) organisations, the Anti-Military Club and human rights activists.

On Tuesday, Novaya gazeta’s correspondent reported, the picketer was a woman from the United Civil Front. In her hands she held a photograph of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and a placard reading, “Free political prisoners!” She requested journalists to talk to her from a distance so as not to infringe the conditions for such a solitary picket. She was observed by two policemen. The protest passed without incident.

On 10 June there will be a rally on New Pushkin Square from 7 to 9 pm, protesting against acts of political repression and the persecution of civilian activists.

(Novaya gazeta, 03.06.2008)