A dead Russian woman's relatives and former colleagues brought her body to a local administrative building to protest officials who they claim were responsible for her death, the state-run RIA Novosti news site reported.
Irina Fokina, who died March 28 at age 51, had been accused of conducting business illegally with her transportation company in the western Russian town of Ryazan. Her husband claimed the stress caused by local officials suing her and her company led to her death.
Fokina’s relatives and colleagues carried her from the morgue to a picket outside the Ryazan transport administration building on Saturday. Friends and family held signs saying “Who will give us our mother and wife back?” and “The Ryazan administration killed the transport operator.”
In response to the picket, Ryazan authorities said they would offer the family psychological and legal assistance, the gazeta.ru news website reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.