Russian Public Figures announce formation of Roundtable

A group of prominent Russian public figures have announced the formation of “Roundtable 12 December”  (this being Constitution Day) to seek ways for a peaceful change of regime.

The founding meeting was held on Monday. Its participants included: former political prisoner and Russia’s first Human Rights Ombudsperson Sergei Kovalev; Head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Ludmila Alexeeva; writers Vladimir Voinovych and Alexander Kabakov; politicians Boris Nemtsov, Mikhail Kasyanov and Vladimir, and others.

The appeal passed calls for:

the immediate release of all political prisoners;

for the elections to the State Duma to be declared void

changes to electoral legislation;

removal of obstacles to registration of parties;

appointment of a new head of the Central Election Commission

Give us new elections!