The Constitutional Court building in Moscow (file photo) (NTV)
15 November 2005 -- Russia's Constitutional Court is today considering complaints against a 2004 federal law that abolished direct elections for regional governors.
The complaints were filed separately by several local divisions of the Union of Rightist Forces and a resident of the Tyumen region.
They argue that the annulment of direct elections for governors -- as well as the president's right to dismiss governors, nominate candidates to governors' posts, and to disband regional legislatures if they twice fail to back his candidate -- does not comply with the constitution.
Earlier today, police detained about 10 activists from the Union of Rightist Forces and the liberal Yabloko party who were picketing the Constitutional Court building in Moscow to demand the restoration of direct elections for regional governors.
(Interfax ru/lenta.ru)