DHAKA: Amnesty International’s office in Moscow has been sealed off by the city authorities, say members of staff.

Arriving for work on Wednesday, they found official seals placed across the office entrances, the locks had been changed and the power was cut off.

The human rights group says it was given no warning but hoped there was ‘a simple administrative explanation’.

It has in the past complained of harassment by the authorities in Russia.

Amnesty’s Moscow director, Sergei Nikitin, posted photos of the seals and discarded locks on Facebook, reports the BBC.

Staff member Alexander Artemyev told independent Dozhd TV internet broadcaster that the organization had been renting an office belonging to Moscow’s department of city property for 20 years.

It had always paid its rent on time, he reportedly said.

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Europe director, said, “We do not know what prompted Moscow authorities to prevent our staff from accessing our offices - an unwelcome surprise for which we received no prior warning”.

BDST: 2146 HRS, NOV 02, 2016
RR