U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton called on Russia on Wednesday to uphold human rights, voicing concern at recent attacks on activists and reporters willing to challenge the Kremlin.
On the second day of her Moscow visit, at the end of a European tour, Clinton told an audience of students that Russia must defend freedom."People must be free to take unpopular positions, disagree with conventional wisdom, know they are safe to peacefully challenge accepted practice and authority," she said during a question and answer session at Moscow State University.
"That's why attacks on journalists and human rights defenders here in Russia is such a great concern because it is a threat to progress." As Clinton was speaking, Russian opposition lawmakers walked out of parliament in protest at regional elections on Sunday in which the ruling United Russia party won crushing victories across the country in disputed circumstances.
Some opposition politicians said they would boycott parliament until President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to meet them. There was no immediate comment from Clinton or her officials on the walkout.
