Security tightened near Moscow Zamoskvoretsky District Court
MOSCOW. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Security has been tightened in the area of the Moscow Zamoskvoretsky District Court where the sentencing of Bolotnaya Square case defendants will continue on Monday.
Four trucks carrying Interior Ministry Forces servicemen and twelve buses of OMON and operative regiments of the Moscow police were deployed around the court building at 7:30 a.m., an Interfax correspondent reports.
Police are patrolling the court's vicinity and access routes and metal fences have been put along the perimeter. All is quiet in the court area.
The sentencing of the Bolotnaya Square case defendants is expected to continue at 10:30 a.m.
An opposition protest permitted by the Moscow authorities to be held on Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012, developed into clashes with the police. More than 400 protesters were taken into custody.
Later the same day the police opened a criminal case under Article 212 (appeals for mass disturbances) and Article 318 (violence against persons in authority) of the Russian Criminal Case. In January 2013 the case was merged with the one of preparations to organize mass disturbances on the Russian territory.
There were 29 defendants in the case. Three of them have been convicted by now.
The State Duma declared an amnesty on December 18, 2013, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Russian constitution. Eight defendants were amnestied.