Lyudmila Alekseyeva, the chairman of the Moscow Helsinki Group, called on Germany’s President to ban Russian officials linked to the death of Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky from entering the country.  The new political Party of Action, backed by wealthy businessman Konstantin Babkin, has held its first congress, outlining its primary aim to reinstate direct elections for regional leaders.  The State Duma apparently needs ‘an expensive video surveillance system‘ in order to keep track of its deputies.  RFE/RL reports on the logistical challenges that ethnic diversity poses for Russia’s census, which is expected to show a 3 million population drop.  The Kremlin is denying earlier reports that President Dmitry Medvedev had nominated Sergei Sobyanin for the post of Moscow Mayor, blaming a ‘technical mistake‘.  Prime Minister Vladimir Putin only wants to meet happy Sochi evictees, says The Other Russia.