February 11, 2011 By Citizen M

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – Feb 11, 2011

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TODAY: Khimki forest activist detained with children; rights advocates call for legalization of methadone; Russia won’t follow Egypt while oil price remains high; Gorbachev blames poverty and instability for terrorist attacks; Medvedev calls for anti-terror drills. Suppression of cyber activities. Japanese Foreign Minister meets with Lavrov.
Khimki forest protester Alla Chernyshyova has been ‘arrested‘ with her two young daughters whom she brought with her to a Moscow demonstration yesterday.  According to a police spokesman: ‘It’s not an arrest, it’s just her delivery to the police station for clarification.‘  The detention was apparently made on suspicion that Chernyshyova had planted a fake bomb. ‘It’s all a lie,‘ she said.  Rights advocates want the UN human rights chief to press Russia to legalize methadone on her next visit, in a bid to alleviate rising heroin usage and the accompanying HIV crisis.  Strategy 31 rallies show a strong current of dissent, but ‘are hardly cause for panic in the Kremlin‘, says Reuters, deeming it unlikely that Russia will follow Egypt.  Another group of activists have been protesting St Petersburg’s snow removal methods, drawing attention to their plight with miniskirts and high heels.