Razvozzhayev pressured to testify against people involved in riots preparation case - Udaltsov
MOSCOW. Nov 22 (Interfax) - Left Front coordinator Sergei Udaltsov believes the new charges against opposition activist Leonid Razvozzhayev are aimed at pressuring him to testify on the case involving preparations for mass riots.
"I am not surprised by anything in this crazy case anymore. If the man has been abducted and tortured, you can expect accusations of an interplanet plot aimed at overthrowing the current administration in Russia," Udaltsov told Interfax on Wednesday.
At the same time, Udaltsov said he has no knowledge of events that occurred 15 years ago and has known Razvozzhayev for 5-6 years.
"I think the investigators are trying to accuse this man of everything they can to break him and scare him and to cause him to testify against me, Konstantin Lebedev, and other opposition activists accused of mythical preparations for riots in Russia," Udaltsov said.
"I'm confident it's another frame-up," he said.
Vladimir Markin from the Investigations Committee earlier told Interfax that Razvozzhayev, who is charged in the case involving preparations for mass riots in Russia, has also been charged with committing assault in Angarsk 15 years ago.
According to the investigators, Razvozzhayev and his accomplices, armed with a hunting rifle and two pistols, stole a video camera and 500 fur hats, inflicting damage worth 95 million undenominated rubles.
Left Front activists Udaltsov, Razvozzhayev and Lebedev are suspects in the criminal case opened by the Investigations Committee on the basis of Articles 30 and 212 of the Russian Criminal Code (preparations for the organization of mass riots) on October 17 following a probe into the facts stated in the film Anatomy of Protest-2 shown on NTV television.
Razvozzhayev and Lebedev have been arrested and Udaltsov has been asked to give his written promise not to leave Moscow.
Razvozzhayev's detention occurred under unclear circumstances. The Investigations Committee said he had turned himself in, while Razvozzhayev said he was abducted by unknown individuals in Kyiv and taken to the Bryansk region, where he was tortured to get him to confess to crimes.