You're reading: Moscow rally demands new polls, “release of all political prisoners”

A rally that brought together tens of thousands of people in central Moscow on Saturday demanded the annulment of the official returns of "falsified" parliamentary elections a week ago and "immediate release of all political prisoners."

These were only some of the demands in a five-point resolution passed by the meeting, which, unlike most opposition events before, had been permitted by the authorities.

The protesters also demanded dismissal of Central Election Chairman Vladimir Churov, investigation of all alleged instances fraud during the elections, punishment of those guilty, registration of opposition parties, revision of legislation on political parties and elections, and new parliamentary elections.

Bolotnaya Square, the venue of the rally, could not hold all the participants, some of whom were occupying all areas around it and the embankment on the opposite bank of the river. Many climbed trees to have a better view of what was happening on the rostrum.