Moscow court acquits Kasparov
August 25th, 2012 - 8:17 am ICT by IANSMoscow, Aug 25 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A Moscow court acquitted Russian chess grandmaster and opposition activist Garry Kasparov, accused of violating peaceful gathering by raising slogans last week, during the trial over Pussy Riot punk band.
Kasparov claimed police arrested him for no reason as he was giving an interview, twisting his arms and kicking him in the crotch on the way to the police van, according to Rusnovosti.ru.
According to the judge, the police gave contradictory evidence during the trial and she was more inclined to believe photo- and video-evidence as well as witnesses’ testimonies given by journalists and other people.
The judge’s verdict was met with applause at the court house and Kasparov later thanked all those, who supported him.
Police also said earlier that Kasparov bit on the finger one of several officers dragging him away from a Moscow court where three Pussy Riot members were convicted Aug 17 over an anti-Kremlin “punk prayer” at an Orthodox Christian cathedral.
The Russian Investigative Committee, Russia’s analogue of the FBI, is currently checking into the matter of an attack on a policeman by Kasparov. The accusation can land him in jail for five years on charges of attacking a police officer on duty.
Kasparov also denied biting anyone during his detention and said the officer in question, Denis Ratnikov, could have run afoul of a police dog.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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