News

Environmental activist apprehended in Murmansk

Publish date: June 18, 2007

An environmental activist, who was gathering signatures from the public as part of a petition to the city’s mayor to build a park in the center of Murmansk, was detained by the police.

In a one-man picket that did not require official approval, Alexander Putsep unrolled a poster that read “Mayor, we love you! Give us back the beauty!”  The local police officers apprehended the environmentalist and brought him to the police station.

Putsel had been apprehended numerous times for made up reasons during his pickets against Murmansk Mayor Yury Evdokimov’s actions. The Procurator’s office has repeatedly confirmed the legality of Putsel’s actions, but he still continues to be apprehended against the law.

The police representatives declined to give a reason for their actions. Oleg Parshin, a police officer, told Putsel’s parents that “we are at the moment defining the clauses for the Murmansk District’s law infringement”.