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Court to consider compulsory treatment for Bolotnaya Square riots participant

During the Wednesday hearing, the court denied bail to Kosenko and refused to return the case to the prosecutors

MOSCOW, November 28 (Itar-Tass) — Moscow's Zamoskvorechye court on December 17 will consider ordering compulsory treatment of Mikhail Kosenko, a suspect in the case over riots in Bolotnaya square in May 2012.

During the Wednesday hearing, the court denied bail to Kosenko and refused to return the case to the prosecutors. Also, Judge Marina Moskalenko did not meet the petition for her recusal.

After the prosecutor read the indictment, Kosenko said he was innocent. He acknowledged his being in Bolotnaya Square and trying to walk to Manezhnaya Square together with a group of protesters, but said he had been unable to, as police cut him off from his colleagues. He claimed it was the OMON special task force police who had been the first to act aggressively, and that people had resisted them in self defence.

The defendant underlined that he had never beaten anyone.

"The resolution on my compulsory treatment is far-fetched," Kosenko said after it was announced.

According to the indictment, the defendant had kicked and punched an OMON officer at least once.

Lawyer Yelena Liptser stated that the charges had not been specified as it was unclear what he had done.

Kosenko is accused under Criminal Code Article 212, Part 2 /riots/ and Article 318, Part 2 /using violence on government representative dangerous to life or health/.

The investigators said Kosenko had taken part in the mass disturbances in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square on May 6, beating police, destroying property and arsons.

"During the designated events, Kosenko, in a gross violation of public order, used physical violence on police, inflicting slight bodily harm on one of them," prosecutors said earlier.

A psychiatric expert examination has found that Kosenko had been unable to realize the nature and public danger of his actions in the period of actions of which he stands accused.