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Hundred protesters against Russian Academy of Sciences reform picket Duma building

The State Duma is discussing the draft bill on RAS reform today in second reading

Photo ITAR-TASS/Zurab Dzhavakhadze

Photo ITAR-TASS/Zurab Dzhavakhadze

MOSCOW, September 18 (Itar-Tass) - About a hundred picketers gathered outside the building of the State Duma, protesting against the suggested bill on the reform of Russian Academy of Sciences which the State Duma will discuss at second reading on Wednesday.

The protesters have neither slogans nor placards. All they have to identify them as the picketers are the badges either with the symbol of the Academy of Sciences or the inscription "Save Science" pinned to their clothes.

Police officers who are guarding the Duma building have asked the protesters to move away from the Duma and take their badges off.

"We will take part in more rallies and will continue protests up to calling strikes," Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valery Rubakov told Itar-Tass. "Seven protesters with a degree of an academician are taking part in the picket," Rubakov said. A number of deputies from KPRF (communist) faction in the State Duma have joined the protesters outside the Duma building.

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