23 Jan 2010

Policeman who denounced corruption arrested

9:12 am on 23 January 2010

A former police officer in Russia who posted a video on internet site YouTube denouncing police corruption has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power.

Alexei Dmovsky had already been fired from his job after posting the video on the internet last November.

In the video, he spoke out about corruption and illegal activities within the police force in his home town in southern Russia, saying he could no longer tolerate being told to arrest innocent people to meet monthly targets.

He went on to make a direct appeal to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to clean up the law enforcement agencies.

The BBC reports the video caused a sensation in a country where challenging the authorities is not only highly unusual, but can also prove to be extremely dangerous.