Boris Nemtsov: “Putin is Lukashenka No. 2”

Crackdown on the protest rally in Moscow against inauguration of the Russian president-elect is a recurrence of the Minsk scenario on December 19, 2010.

Boris Nemtsov,  one of the leaders of the Russian opposition and co-head of Solidarity movement, expressed this opinion in an  interview to charter97.org website.

A judge of judicial district No. 396 fined Boris Nemtsov 1,000 rubles for “unlawful acts” at the opposition rally in Moscow on May 6.

Under the court decision, Nemtsov was found guilty of violating part 2 of article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of Russia “Violation of the established procedure of holding a meeting, gathering, demonstration, rally or picket”.

The court said Nemtsov within a group of people had been calling on protesters not to scatter, but stay and continue the rally.

“Alexei Navalny, Sergei Udaltsov and me were at a police station yesterday. Udaltsov was guarded by police to hospital over his complaints about peptic ulcer. Navalny stands trial today. They decided no to touch me. I was tried at night by a sleepy judge... It is the first case people have been detained for an authorized rally, and I am the first person tried for an authorized rally.

Putin is Lukashenka No. 2. It was a massive rally yesterday that Bolotnaya Square has not seen since December 10.  About 100,000 people took to streets. Putin was in stupor. He did not expect so many people to come. It was an order to start a brutal crackdown and use provocateurs. Cruel clashes began. There were many injured people as a result. Illya Yashin has brain concussion. The centre of Moscow is cordoned off. I am in the Arbat district now. The cowardly clown put police cordons everywhere. Such a  “winner of the national vote” we have...” Boris Nemtsov said in an interview to charter97.org.