CRACKDOWN ON OTHER RUSSIA SAMARA DEMONSTRATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 002331 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR KDEM RS SUBJECT: CRACKDOWN ON OTHER RUSSIA SAMARA DEMONSTRATION CONTINUES REF: MOSCOW 2202 Classified By: Ambassador William J. Burns. Reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) Summary: On May 18, Russian airport authorities confiscated the passports and tickets of some Other Russia leaders and two Western journalists, effectively preventing them from attending the sanctioned "March of Dissent" in Samara (reftel). Although authorities agreed to the march, which was timed to coincide with the EU-Russia summit in the same city, they have detained and harassed organizers and activists over the last two weeks in an evident effort to disrupt preparations and minimize turnout. The German DCM told us Chancellor Merkel was aware of the situation, and had publicly expressed concern at a press conference with Putin who distanced himself from the law enforcement measures. We conveyed our strong concern to the offices of the HR Ombudsman and Presidential Advisor on Civil Society, where officials expressed surprise and disquiet over the latest developments. The Ambassador underscored with Deputy Foreign Minister Yakovenko our concerns over the incident, and the need for Russia to create an environment for transparent and competitive elections. End summary. -------------- Other Russia Leaders Unable To Reach Samara -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Despite the May 11 decision by Samara authorities to allow a "March of Dissent" to take place on May 18 during the EU summit, the march leadership was prevented from departing Moscow. On May 18, Other Russia leaders Garry Kasparov and Eduard Limonov, along with a group of about 25 others, including journalists from the Wall Street Journal and the Daily Telegraph, had their airplane tickets and passports taken away at Moscow's Sheremetovo airport when they were checking in for their flight to Samara. Kasparov told us that the authorities had offered no explanation for their action and had refused to speak with his lawyer. We understand that most of the would-be march participants and observers, including Amcit WSJ correspondent Alan Cullison, later had their passports returned. Cullison's ticket was not returned and the (unbelievable) explanation given was that the authorities had concerns that it was counterfeit. ¶3. (SBU) Separately, "For Human Rights" leader Lev Ponomarev reported that a total of thirteen people had their documentation confiscated and that they were being interviewed individually on possible charges of ticket forgery. According to Ponomarev, three of Kasparov's assistants did manage to check in, but were then denied boarding. ¶4. (U) Today's events capped a series of law enforcement maneuvers to disrupt the organization of the march. On May ¶17. Aleksandr Petrov from Human Rights Watch was held for having a counterfeit ticket and passport, and Red Youth Vanguard leader Sergey Udaltsov was questioned, allegedly because he resembled someone being sought by the police. Both missed their flights to Samara. In Samara, authorities detained United Civil Front (UCF) executive director Denis Bilunov and seized the 95,000 RUR (almost USD 4,000) he was carrying for UCF arrangements, alleging it was counterfeit and needed to be examined. ¶5. (U) A Moscow Helsinki Group observer and a Nizhniy Novgorod human rights lawyer were briefly detained upon their arrival in Samara on May 14 for allegedly matching descriptions of wanted criminals. Aleksandr Lashmankin, an activist who has been supportive of Other Russia detainees, was planning to hold an "Intergalactic Libertarian Forum" on May 16-18. Authorities seized his computer equipment, allegedly as part of a crackdown on the use of unlicensed software. On May 14, two unidentified assailants robbed and beat Lashmankin with baseball bats, causing head injuries. On May 15, authorities detained two other march organizers for identification checks and fingerprinting but later released them. -------------- Law Enforcement Prepared for Trouble -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In a May 17 conversation, Moscow Helsinki Group program director Nina Tagankina said that Lyudmila Alekseeva had written a letter to Prosecutor General Yuriy Chayka and Minister of the Interior Rashid Nurgaliev laying out appropriate behavior for law enforcement activity during the march. Alekseeva underscored her concern that federal security forces would be more inclined than local militia to behave badly. MOSCOW 00002331 002 OF 002 ¶7. (U) While Samara's Chief of Internal Affairs denied that OMON riot police would be present at the march, he did promise a 1,000-strong militia presence. He warned that the slightest deviation from the planned march route would be deemed a violation. Despite the detentions and police warnings, one activist in Samara told us May 18 that organizers intended to hold the march as scheduled. -------------- GOR Actions Buoy Other Russia -------------- ¶8. (C) In an Izvestiya article, Politika Foundation president Vyacheslav Nikonov argued that the public security measures that authorities are undertaking are justified and comparable to, if not less draconian than, those German authorities are overseeing in preparation for disturbances by anti-globalization activists at the G8 summit. Oleg Buklemishev, an aide to Mikhail Kasyanov, told us that authorities had simply extended Other Russia a lifeline, as allies like Kasyanov's People's Democratic Union distanced themselves from the demonstrations, which they view as "excessively provocative in the current political atmosphere." Russian Republican party leader Vladimir Ryzhkov, who predicts the collapse of Other Russia due to increasing divisions among the ad hoc alliance, concurred that official overreaction was Other Russia's saving grace. -------------- U.S. Concern Conveyed -------------- ¶9. (C) Following news of the airport stand-off with Other Russia activists, we conveyed our strong concern to William Smirnov, deputy chair of the Presidential Commission for Human Rights and Civil Society Development, and to Georgiy Kunadze, Human Rights Ombudsman Lukin's Deputy. Smirnov told us that the authorities' actions had been an unpleasant surprise. While Chairwoman Panfilova was not in Moscow, Smirnov reiterated that the commission's position was clear: internationally recognized norms of freedom of speech and assembly must be followed. Kunadze, "speaking privately," conveyed his "disgust" at today's actions, which he characterized as a de facto humiliation and violation of marchers' rights. Kunadze noted that Lukin was in Yekaterinburg, but undertook to convey our concerns. He noted that Lukin intends to issue a broader report on the law enforcement organ's methods of dealing with the opposition. The overreaction will feed a cycle of increasing attention and criticism, as well as support for Other Russia, that authorities do not want, he said. Human Rights Watch's Petrov said that authorities had factored international criticism into their thinking and did not believe it outweighed their intent to isolate and intimidate the opposition. ¶10. (SBU) The German Embassy told us that Chancellor Merkel was informed of the situation and that, at a May 18 press conference, she expressed her concern that the opposition leaders had been prevented from traveling to Samara, and hoped that they would be allowed to express their views. At the same press conference, President Putin replied that he had nothing against the march, and termed the actions of law enforcement, "not always justified." ¶11. (SBU) Later in the afternoon of May 18, the Ambassador contacted DFM Yakovenko to underscore our strong concerns, and the need for Russia to create an environment for transparent and competitive elections. Kakavenko had no substantive response, but said he would look into the incident. We will continue to urge Ella Pamfilova and Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin to call for restraint. BURNS