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Medvedev and unregistered parties to discuss prisoners of conscience

Medvedev still has time to pardon prisoners of conscience and be remembered for this act

MOSCOW, February 17 (Itar-Tass) —— Representatives of unregistered parties intend to discuss the pardoning of prisoners of conscience and amendments to the Russian Constitution at a meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev.

“I intend to discuss with the president the demands voiced at the rallies on the Bolotnaya Square and the Sakharov Avenue in Moscow, but, first of all, the pardoning of prisoners of conscience,” co-chairman of the unregistered People’s Freedom Party (PARNAS) Boris Nemtsov told Itar-Tass commenting on a meeting, which is expected take place on February 20.

The list of prisoners, which the opposition appeals to pardon was earlier passed to the Chairman of the Presidential Council of Human Rights Mikhail Fedotov. “But I do think that it would be right to pass this list to the president, though his presidential term is coming to an end, he has some time to go down in history with this act, which the Russian people will remember,” the PARNAS leader noted.

Nemtsov also intends to raise amendments in the Constitution at the meeting. “I am going to offer to the president to introduce an amendment in the Constitution that one person cannot be elected president for more than two times,” he said.

The time schedule of the meeting is unclear for Nemtsov. “I am not aware how much time they will give me to speak. Vladimir Ryzhkov, Sergei Udaltsov and I, all in all, three people will participate in the meeting from the opposition, other people are quite unfamiliar to me,” the PARNAS leader stated.

For his part, the Left Front’s leader Sergei Udaltsov told Itar-Tass that he did not received an official invitation for the meeting with the president. “All that is clear about this is unofficial, therefore, I cannot comment on anything yet,” Udaltsov concluded.

According to some media reports, leader of the Greens ecological movement Anatoly Panfilov, chairman of the Party of Action Konstantin Babkin, leader of the People’s Union Sergei Baburin and others will also participate in the meeting.

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