Ukraine police deny knowledge of Russian activist's alleged detention
KYIV. Oct 20 (Interfax) - Kyiv's police authority told Interfax on Saturday that it knew nothing about the alleged detention in Ukraine's capital late on Friday of Russian opposition activist Leonid Razvozzhayev, who is under prosecution in his home country, being accused of co-organizing mass riots.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian left-wing party Borba confirmed that Razvozzhayev had been visiting Kyiv and that he had disappeared. He had been in Kyiv "legally since October 17," Borba said.
"Leonid decided to ask international bodies for political asylum. Razvozzhayev filled out a form that was addressed to the high commissioner [UN high commissioner for refugees] and submitted it. When he left the building of the [Ukrainian mission of the high commissioner's office] at 16 Lavrska Street, [mission] staff heard outcries for help. After that no one has seen Leonid, nor has it been possible to contact him," a Borba statement read in part.
The party expressed suspicion that Razvozzhayev was detained by security services "without any legal grounds and will be delivered to the Russian Federation in breach of the UN Convention on Refugees."
"As part of a joint project to combat repressive practices on both sides of the border, the Borba Association and Left Front are beginning a campaign to look for Leonid Razvozzhayev and to publish information about his case," the statement said.
The statement did not state the time of the alleged incident.
Earlier, an opposition rally in Moscow was told that Razvozzhayev had been detained in Kyiv late on Friday.