MOSCOW, October 18 (Itar-Tass) — United Russia lawmaker Vladimir Burmatov sent an inquiry to the Investigative Committee asking it to check if A Just Russia deputy Ilya Ponomaryov had been involved in the talks over organizing riots in Russia, the press service of the United Russia faction said on Wednesday.
"I've sent in inquiry requesting SK chairman Bastrykin to pay attention to fact of participation of A Just Russia deputy Ilya Ponomaryov in talks in Minsk, during which, according to the investigators, the participants discussed preparations and organization of riots in Russian regions in the interests of foreign countries," Burmatov said.
"Lawmaker Ponomaryov could not but know about the participation of his subordinate in the talks in other country with representatives of foreign states, at which the issue of funding the organization of mass disturbances in Russia was discussed. That Ponomaryov is involved in it is a quite obvious fact, while the degree of this involvement should be determined through investigation.
"Even the participation of his aide in such talks is an outrageous fact. The possible direct participation of deputy Ponomaryov in this process is incompatible with the lawmaker’s ethics, the lawmaker’s status or any idea about morals, in my opinion," Burmatov said.
Criminal proceedings about preparations to organize mass disturbances were opened against Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, his aide Konstantin Lebedev and Leonid Razvozzhayev, an aide to Ilya Ponomaryov, after a check into the fact shown by the film Anatomy of Protest-2.
The film showed the discussion over a possibility to stage rots in Moscow and Russian provinces. The SK searched the suspects' apartments. They all will be questioned. "The investigators will check the information from the Anatomy of Protest-2 about possible preparations of terrorist attacks in Russia by participants in the meeting shown in the film. If the information is found to be authentic, a legal assessment of actions by Udaltsov and his associates, including Georgian citizens, will follow," Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said.
Udaltsov said the criminal case against him was revenge for his opposing the government.
The opposition activist said police had confiscated 100,000 roubles from him during the search: "the money had been gathered for a November festival in support of political prisoners. It was intended for leasing a hall," he explained, "they also seized 30,000 roubles, it's my money on which my family lived. The police seized documents, office equipment and my computer. They now have a warehouse: earlier, they took my computer and never returned it, I borrowed one from my friends, and they've taken it too.
"There is nothing to confirm whatever they accuse us of: preparing riots, arsons and mutinies at penitentiaries; these are terrible charges; but they haven't found anything.
"They want to split us," Udaltsov said in comments on the detention of Konstantin Lebedev, a suspect in the case.
According to Udaltsov, one-person pickets might be expected on Thursday, October 18.