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Court extends custody for Bolotnaya Sq riots suspects

A court has extended the probe into riots at Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square during a so-called march of the millions in May of this year

MOSCOW, June 11 (Itar-Tass) —— A court has extended the probe into riots at Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square during a so-called march of the millions in May of this year.

According to the court ruling, the court will consider placing Rikhard Sobolev and Alexander Kamensky under arrest on June 13, and will decide on possible custody for Oleg Arkhipenkov and Vladimir Akimenkov on June 14.

The court also issued an arrest warrant for one more suspect, Fyodor Bakhov, and will consider sanctions against a thirteenth detainee, Artyom Savelyev, shortly.

Earlier the court put Yaroslav Belousov in custody until July 6.

Thirteen people are involved in the case up to date. Earlier, five of them were arrested -- Mikhail Kosenko, Stepan Zimin, Maxim Luzinyan, Andrei Barabanov, Denis Lutskevich – and Alexander Dukhanina, 18, is under house arrest.

All detainees are 20 to 41 years of age. Some of them have already been charged with participation in mass riots and use of violence against representatives of the authorities.

Police searched the detainees’ houses and seized electronic databases and clothes worn by the detainees during the riots, the Investigation Committee said.

A mask with eye slits and a flag with the DNPI (Movement against Illegal Migration) inscription were seized in Sobolev’s house, and similar mask, a radio, a Molotoff cocktail, relevant literature and several passports were seized in Zimin’s house.

“The investigation continues to determine and detain all those who organised and participated in the mass riots and the persons who used violence against representatives of the authorities during the ‘March of the Millions’,” the Investigation Committee said.

During the March of the Millions on May 6, some of the protesters marching from Bolshaya Yakimanka to Bolotnaya Square demanded that the part in the square be opened for a rally and then tried to break through police cordons. Some threw bottles and flares at the police, and some put up resistance when police attempted to detain them and even tried to rip shoulder straps from their uniform. As a result, more than 400 people were detained and some 30 policemen were injured.