AFP, Moscow :
Russian president Vladimir Putin has removed several opposition figures from his human rights council, a decree published Monday showed, with critics saying the move robs the advisory body of its legitimacy.
The 50-member body, which has spoken out against abuses, has gradually been losing its influence and many respected members of the human rights community had already quit in protest at various Kremlin actions.
The five people being removed from the council, include its veteran head Mikhail Fedotov, according to the presidential
decree on the government website.
Outspoken political analyst Ekaterina Schulmann who openly supports opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and lawyer Pavel Chikov whose organisation provides legal support to detained political protesters, are also being cut as are liberal university professor Ivan Shablinski and NGO head Yevgeny Bobrov.
They will be replaced by current and former state media employees, among them Kirill Vyshinsky, a journalist at RIA Novosti state news agency who had been jailed by Ukraine and last month flew to Russia in a high-profile prisoner swap.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has removed several opposition figures from his human rights council, a decree published Monday showed, with critics saying the move robs the advisory body of its legitimacy.
The 50-member body, which has spoken out against abuses, has gradually been losing its influence and many respected members of the human rights community had already quit in protest at various Kremlin actions.
The five people being removed from the council, include its veteran head Mikhail Fedotov, according to the presidential
decree on the government website.
Outspoken political analyst Ekaterina Schulmann who openly supports opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and lawyer Pavel Chikov whose organisation provides legal support to detained political protesters, are also being cut as are liberal university professor Ivan Shablinski and NGO head Yevgeny Bobrov.
They will be replaced by current and former state media employees, among them Kirill Vyshinsky, a journalist at RIA Novosti state news agency who had been jailed by Ukraine and last month flew to Russia in a high-profile prisoner swap.
