PARIS, July 28. /TASS/. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland said on Sunday he plans to discuss with the head of Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC), Ella Pmfilova, the situation around unregistered candidates to Moscow’s City Duma (legislature).

"I have been following recent events in in the run up to elections in Moscow with concern," he said in a statement posted on the Council of Europe’s website. "Opposition candidates have reportedly been not able to stand for election. I intend to raise this with the Head of the Russian Central Electoral Commission, Ella Pamfilova. All legitimate candidates should be allowed to participate and free and fair elections must be guaranteed. As a member state of the Council of Europe Russia needs to respect European standards in the electoral process. "

Elections to the Moscow City Duma will be held on September 8.

On July 27, an unauthorized rally in support of the unregistered candidates was held in central Moscow. More than 1,000 protesters were detained, of whom 600, according to the police, were not Muscovites. Police said, more than 3,500 people took part in the rally.

Ahead of the rally, the authorities warned potential participants about their responsibility for violating Russian laws. Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin cited police data saying that serious provocation fraught with threats to people’s security and health were plotted. Moscow’s police also called on people to refrain from taking part in the rally and promised to do their best to ensure law and order.

The Moscow prosecutor’s office is conducting an administrative investigation into 15 unregistered candidates who were among the organizers of the unauthorized rallies on July 14 and 27.