...Koblyakov, 44, is a dual Russian and French citizen who founded the French non-governmental organization Russie-Libertes, which has staged a series of anti-Putin protests in France. Dear friends, yesterday in a letter I asked the President of Bulgaria to grant me a political asylum in the country because of political persecution by the Russian authorities, Koblyakov wrote on his Facebook account. The threat for my life, if I am to be returned to Russia, is really big and these are not just my concerns but also of human rights groups like Amnesty International France, ACAT France and Russie-Libertes, he said in another post. Criticism of Russias campaign against dissent has grown as Moscow clamps down on activists, journalists and internet users. Koblyakovs detention has sparked protests in Sofia and Paris, where human rights activists have urged the Bulgarian authorities to reject the extradition request...
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 02:36:16 +0000