Astakhov does not believe people were offered money to join child protection march
MOSCOW. Feb 28 (Interfax) - Russian children's rights commissioner Pavel Astakhov has said he does not believe that people agreed to join a March 2 rally in Moscow in support of adopted Russian children living in the United States in exchange for a reward.
"I would like to draw your attention to the fact that outraged parents rallied in support of recently deceased Maxim [Kuzmin]. Mothers are currently being accused of offering money to participants in this march. But these women do not have the money to bribe people who will attend the march," Astakhov told journalists on Thursday.
The leader of the Russian Mothers movement, Irina Bergset, herself fell victim to these problems, he said.
"You know how hard we had to work to help her leave Norway," Astakhov said.
The woman was stripped of her parental rights, and one of her children is still in Norway, he added.
"Just come and look these mothers in the eye. All of these mothers have suffered," Astakhov said.