Thousands of Russians have gathered in central Moscow to protest foreign adoptions. The demonstrations were triggered by the death of a three-year-old Russian boy in January, who had been adopted by an American couple.
The boy’s death has stirred nationalist sentiment in Russia, leading some to call for an end to foreign adoptions of Russian children. The tragedy came only a few months after Moscow passed a bill banning adoptions of Russian children by Americans. The boy died after his adoptive mother told authorities she found him unresponsive outside their home in Texas.
Local police say four doctors reviewed the autopsy report and agreed the boy’s death was not intentional. Russia has voiced strong skepticism about the US autopsy report, and demanded further investigation into the death.