Source: HRO.org (info)

• Moscow region and Moscow Freedom of association Legal defence Persecution of activists

The Moscow City Court judge presiding over the case brought against Sergei Udaltsov and Leonid Razvozzhayev, who stand accused of organising mass disturbances, has heard evidence from a “secret witness".

Kasparov.ru reports that the “secret witness”, referred to under the pseudonym of Sergei Gerasimov in the case files, sat in a different courtroom and gave evidence via a video link which only the judge could see on a screen in front of him.

When Razvozzhayev asked why the identity of the witness was being kept secret, Judge Zamashnyuk replied that he was not obliged to provide an explanation. Later he added that witnesses are allowed to remain secret if they or their families may otherwise be put at risk.

The witness was granted permission to keep his identity secret during the preliminary investigation.

Talking about what had happened on Bolotnaya Square, the witness said that he had been part of a chain of people coordinated by Razvozzhayev. The latter had apparently stopped at Luzhkov Bridge, turned his back to the chain and pointed to the police officers standing opposite and to Red Square.

The witness continued by saying that some of the protestors had started to walk away, “either to have a cigarette or to get a drink of water,” but a group of 20 people headed to the right, “where, after about 15 minutes, there were attempts to break through the cordon which finally succeeded”.

He also said that Udaltsov would not have been able to control the chain of anarchists since all decisions involving members of the organisation “Autonomous Action”, including he himself, were taken by consensus rather than by an individual.

He added that it was unlikely that anyone could have controlled the anarchists on 6 May. Investigators believe that Razvozzhayev led the group of anarchists who broke through the police cordon.

Sergei Udaltsov and Leonid Razvozzhayev are accused of organising “mass disturbances” on Bolotnaya Square on 6 May 2012 and attempting to organise other “mass disturbances".