Siberian Activist Detained At Checkpoint Along Russian-Kazakh Border On Extremism Charge

Russian authorities detained Siberian activist Sergei Piskunov at a checkpoint along the Russian-Kazakh border and charged him with organizing an extremist group, his associates told RFE/RL on February 12. Two days earlier, police in the Kemerovo region searched Piskunov's home. The Yabloko party branch in Kemerovo said the charge against Piskunov may stem from his public request to a local administrator to allow him to hold a single-person rally to challenge the way the campaign for next month's presidential poll is being held. In the past, Piskunov used to coordinate the activities of the Golos (Voice) movement, which monitored elections in Kemerovo. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, click here.