Russian grandmaster-turned-opposition activist Garry Kasparov, who supported the jailed Pussy Riot members, can be jailed over a clash with police where he allegedly bit a policeman.
Police said 49-year-old Kasparov bit the finger of one of the officers dragging him away from a Moscow court where three Pussy Riot members were convicted on Friday over an anti-Kremlin “punk prayer” at an Orthodox Christian cathedral.The accusation can land Kasparov in jail for five years on charges of attacking a police officer on duty.
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Dragged away: Russian police officers escort chess champion and opposition leader Garry Kasparov (bottom) after he was detained at a protest during the Pussy Riot trial outside a court building in Moscow. Pic/AFP
Moscow police confirmed they were preparing to hand over the case to the Investigative Committee, Russia’s analogue of the FBI, which will conduct a probe into the matter.
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. He said he would sue police over the incident.
Kasparov also denied biting anyone and said the officer in question, Denis Ratnikov, could have run afoul of a police dog.u00a0A police spokesman said the force was willing to conduct an examination to compare Kasparov’s bite to that of their service dogs.
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