Moscow police deny ordering ‘identification’ of individuals bringing flowers to memorials honoring Navalny

Irina Volk, Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman, denied reports that police officers were ordered to “identify” everyone bringing flowers to memorials honoring Alexey Navalny.

“I’m officially stating that the published document, which was alleged to have been signed by the leadership of the capital’s central office, does not exist,” reads a post on Volk’s Telegram channel.

Grigory Sverdlin, the head of the human rights group Go by the Forest, posted a document by the Moscow police force ordering officers to be on 24/7 duty at two monuments to the Victims of Political Repression (the Solovetsky Stone on Lubyanka Square and the Wall of Grief) and to “identify” anyone who brings flowers to the monuments, starting on February 17.

Sverdlin told outlet Agenstvo that he doesn’t believe “one word from the Moscow police force.” He added that the human rights group verified the document’s authenticity with the help of acting officers.

Ivan Zhdanov, Navalny’s associate and director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, who had also shared the document, later said it was a forgery. He noted that the electronic signature on the document, which is usually valid for a period of one year, was only valid for one month.

The human rights organization Department One also called the document a forgery, stating that the electronic signature’s term of validity had already expired. “We are not claiming that there is no order to monitor mourners in general, but the document published by Go by the Forest is definitely forged,” said the organization.

“This, however, changes little in essence. The practices in recent years show that the police force already monitors participants of opposition activities using ‘smart’ cameras,” notes Agenstvo.