TODAY: Rights Council numbers dwindle with spate of departures; Putin’s support sliding?  March of a Million participants under pressure; Russia’s sexual minorities contemplate dark future. Putin unveils Red Army memorial in Israel; stresses import of self-determination; Egypt’s new president, a potential problem for Russia?  Pozner leaves Dohzd TV; on drugs

With the departure yesterday of Valentin Gefter and Boris Pustyntsev, the total number of people who have now left the Kremlin’s rights council is 15.   Slavic Union leader Dmitry Demushkin has expressed his hope that Russian nationalists will gain seats on the advisory body.  A new poll by the Levada Center shows that only 15% of Russian citizens fully share the views of President Vladimir Putin, a drop on similar polls taken over the past two years.  The Investigative Committee has denied accusations that it is putting pressure on those detained for their part in the May 6 March of Millions.  Vladimir Ryzkhov argues ‘judges […] accept the testimony of the riot police on blind faith and rubber-stamp one conviction after another‘.   This report shows how testing the new law on rallies produces some amusing results.  The Moscow mayor’s office has rejected Left Front’s application to hold a new rally.   The Moscow Times reports that authorities are introducing punitive measures for those offering hyperlinks to ‘extremist content’ on the Internet.