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Russia demands immediate probe into opposition activist’s death

According to preliminary reports by the Dutch authorities, Dolmatov committed suicide

MOSCOW, January 18 (Itar-Tass) - Russia has demanded from the Dutch authorities an immediate investigation into the death of Russian opposition activist Alexander Dolmatov in a Dutch detention center.

"The consular department of the Russian embassy will take this issue under control,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

Alexander Dolmatov, an activist of the Other Russia opposition party, was found dead at a refugee facility in Rotterdam where he had been taken on Wednesday after the Dutch immigration authorities refused to grant him political asylum in the Netherlands.

Dolmatov was supposed to wait for deportation or other actions on his asylum request for the immigration authorities’ refusal can be appealed under Dutch laws.

"According to preliminary reports by the Dutch authorities, Dolmatov committed suicide,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

In the meantime, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday received well-known U.S. political scientist Dimitri Simes, the president of the Center for National Interest based in Washington DC.

"The sides exchanged views on the state and prospects of Russian-American relations and discussed urgent international and regional issues, including Syria and the Middle East,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Dimitri Simes has been heading the Nixon Research Center since it was founded by Richard Nixon in January 1994. The organization was renamed into the Center for the National Interest in March 2011.

The Center for the National Interest is a non-governmental organization believed to be close to moderate Republicans in the United States by its views. It deals exclusively with foreign policy matters.

The Center issues “The National Interest”, a bi-monthly international affairs magazine which publishes articles by leading U.S experts. Simes regularly cooperates with “The New York Times”, “The Washington Post”, “The Financial Times” and other publications. He also consults the CBS and NBS television channels.

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