Editor-in-chief of "Modern Kalmykia", detained in Elista, goes to law against policemen

Valery Badmaev, an editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Modern Kalmykia", who was on March 14 detained in Elista on charges of disorderly conduct, intends to appeal to court against the actions of policemen and charges against him.

Valery Badmaev was detained in his friend's apartment in Elista. Fresh copies of the newspaper "Modern Kalmykia" were at the place of detention. Seven thousand copies of the newspaper were seized by persons who introduced themselves as policemen. The Valery Badmaev's attempts to prevent the police action resulted in his delivery to the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) for the city of Elista. In the morning of March 15, the editor-in-chief was released after being charged with disorderly conduct.

Valery Badmaev associates his detention with publications in the latest issue of the newspaper. "The issue has published very important, in our opinion, materials on the preparation to the Congress of Oirat-Kalmyk people, scheduled for May," Valery Badmaev has said. He has continued: "The issue has also reprinted from the 'Facebook' the appeal of Professor Vladimir Gorbatenko from Kiev to the Russian society with clarification of his position regarding the possible deployment of Russian troops in Ukraine."