The Committee began its work on May 6

A committee to support citizens accused and suspected in the case of mass riots on Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012 began its work.

The May 6 Committee included independent civil activists and representatives of various social and political movements. The Committee invites to join the work of everyone who has the desire and opportunity to help in the implementation of the goals stated by the Committee.

The Committee members intend to:
- ensure the aggregation of information about detainees and provision of it to the public;
- organize public actions in defense of detainees and participate in actions organized by other associations;
- facilitate the coordination of legal and financial assistance to detainees;
- interact with the “risk group” - people detained on May 6 under administrative charges;
- promote independent investigations, global publicity - everything that can help end criminal cases, release and rehabilitation of the accused.

The May 6 Committee calls on the civil and political community to consolidate all forces and resources to protect victims of political repression, police and investigative brutality.

The Committee declares July 26, 2012 the International Day of United Action in defense of the accused and suspects in the Bolotnaya case and calls on the Russian and international community to take part in it.

To coordinate the work of the Committee, assistance to detainees and the “at-risk group”, a hotline 8-926-305-28-23 began operating.
All necessary information about the investigation, the accused and the work of the Committee is posted on the website of the “May 6 Committee” www.6may.org .

In the case of the so-called mass riots on May 6 on Bolotnaya Square, 14 people have already been subjected to criminal prosecution. 12 of them are now under arrest. The detainees were charged under Articles 212 of the Criminal Code ("Mass riots") and 318 of the Criminal Code ("Use of violence against a representative of the authorities"). However, some of those arrested were not on Bolotnaya Square at all - they were detained on May 6 in another place. Some of the detainees require medical assistance, while others are not allowed access to lawyers. These actions of the investigation violate
legislation of the Russian Federation, making the accused victims of police brutality.

The situation requires close public attention. Information about the number of investigators and the number of people interrogated in the Bolotnaya case (according to the Central Internal Affairs Directorate, more than 1,250 people) suggests
the ordered nature of the investigation and the beginning of repressions against the politically active part of Russian civil society. The number of accused may increase to several hundred people.

On May 6, 2012, as a result of the actions of police officers, an opposition rally agreed with the Moscow authorities was disrupted. There was a real threat of a stampede in a crowd of thousands - participants in the “March of Millions” stopped on the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge, unable to get to Bolotnaya Square due to a police cordon blocking their path. As a result, mass clashes between demonstrators and police occurred. More than 500 people were detained, and even more participants in the coordinated action were beaten.

Despite numerous appeals from citizens and human rights activists to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation and the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, not a single criminal case has been initiated on the facts of police officers exceeding their official powers, as well as obstructing the holding of an agreed mass event.

Committee members:
Alexander Averin is the press secretary of the unregistered Other Russia party.
Anton Bykov is a participant in the Autonomous Action movement.
Igor Gukovsky - Coordinator of the Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, Solidarity activist.
Yulia Guseva - Praxis Scientific and Educational Center.
Sergei Davidis is a member of the federal political council of the Solidarity movement.
Angelina Zhukova is a civil activist.
Alexander Ivanov is an activist of the Russian Socialist Movement (RSD).
Isabel Magkoeva is an activist of the Occupy Moscow movement.
Aslan Mamedov is an activist of the Russian Socialist Movement (RSM).
Nikolai Oleynikov is a civil activist.
Marina Popova - participant of the Autonomous Action movement
Ruslan Sadchikov - coordinator of the Civil Forum, activist of the Occupy movement Moscow.
Alexey Sakhnin - coordinator of the "Left Front".
Artem Temirov - activist of the Occupy movement Moscow.
Elena Tikhonova is the initiator of the White Ribbon movement, co-founder of the League of Voters.
as well as other civil and political activists.

Contact information for the May 6 Committee:
926-305-28-23
help6may@gmail.com
www.6may.org

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