As asserted by Sochi civil society activists and oppositionists, Russia has no state protection for those who struggle with corruption and oppose the authorities; and another proof of that was the murder of the opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, a native of Sochi, committed in downtown Moscow. However, despite the situation in the country, today, nine days after the murder, local activists intend to continue their activities.
Sochi residents continue bringing flowers to the monument to victims of political repressions and lighting candles there, where there are photos of Nemtsov, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.
According to the lawyer and public figure Alexander Popkov, not only Russia, but also foreign countries are concerned about the persecutions of activists in the Krasnodar Territory and Sochi, in particular, of the activists of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus" Suren Gazaryan and Evgeny Vitishko, and journalist Nikolai Yarst.
Roman Shikarev, the leader of the Sochi Movement "Law and Order", believes that "the situation in the country has got destabilized by persecutions of activists and the murder of Boris Nemtsov."
Yuri Marjan, the leader of the anti-corruption coalition of Sochi, said about the absence of fear of repressions in civil society activists. Although, according to his story, he has received telephone threats and SMS-messages, while law enforcers gave no reaction to his appeals.