TODAY: 12 activists detained in Moscow amid wider furore over stage-managed elections; environmental actions in Irkutsk and Khimki; Yukos whistleblower placed in solitary confinement; head of Moscow Pride steps down; Medvedev mediates between Turkey and Armenia; NATO sends delegation to Russia; ‘spy’ Fermanova sentenced.

Reports say that at least 12 activists were detained in Moscow yesterday for holding an unauthorised protest against the Kremlin’s control over the upcoming elections.  Gennady Gudkov, a senior deputy in the Duma and member of A Just Russia, has accused Moscow Governor Boris Gromov of ordering local mayors to ensure an unconditional victory for United Russia in December.  ‘In effect, Russians are being presented with a stage-managed campaign between political forces loyal to the Kremlin.’  RFE/RL reports on a weekend action in Irkutsk, directed at development projects that many worry will threaten the local environment, as well as a Khimki protest against deforestation.  Former United Russia member Maksim Dudarev has been placed in solitary confinement (‘for keeping banned items, namely a Samsung mobile phone’) after giving an interview to RFE/RL in which he claimed that authorities orchestrated the fraudulent sale of a Yukos stake in 2004.  The Moscow City Court has denied a plea to close the tax evasion case against Sergei Magnitsky.  Gay rights activist Nikolai Alekseyev has stepped down from his role as head of Moscow Pride, acknowledging that he is ‘fed up’.