Police in St. Petersburg have impounded 100,000 copies of a critical brochure about Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
The brochure, "Putin. Results.10 Years," was co-authored by Boris Nemtsov, cochairman of the opposition Solidarnost (Solidarity) coalition, and economist Vladimir Milov. It was scheduled to be distributed in St. Petersburg during the upcoming international economic forum.
Maksim Reznik, who heads the St. Petersburg branch of the opposition party Yabloko, told RFE/RL that the truck driver that was to deliver the brochures to his office called him on June 16 and said police took him and his truckload of brochures to a police station.
Reznik said the content of the brochure is neither extremist nor illegal. "It is important for us now to get the copies of the brochure to our office," Reznik added.
An officer at the police station told RFE/RL the truck was stopped because the driver violated traffic regulations. He said questions arose later regarding the brochures. Reznik says he still hopes the brochures will be delivered to his office.
The brochure summarizes the activities of Putin, who was also president from 2000-2008, over the past 10 years.
The brochure, "Putin. Results.10 Years," was co-authored by Boris Nemtsov, cochairman of the opposition Solidarnost (Solidarity) coalition, and economist Vladimir Milov. It was scheduled to be distributed in St. Petersburg during the upcoming international economic forum.
Maksim Reznik, who heads the St. Petersburg branch of the opposition party Yabloko, told RFE/RL that the truck driver that was to deliver the brochures to his office called him on June 16 and said police took him and his truckload of brochures to a police station.
Reznik said the content of the brochure is neither extremist nor illegal. "It is important for us now to get the copies of the brochure to our office," Reznik added.
An officer at the police station told RFE/RL the truck was stopped because the driver violated traffic regulations. He said questions arose later regarding the brochures. Reznik says he still hopes the brochures will be delivered to his office.
The brochure summarizes the activities of Putin, who was also president from 2000-2008, over the past 10 years.
