The Moscow office of human rights charity Amnesty International has been sealed off by Russian authorities. 

An Amnesty spokesperson told The Independent staff had arrived at work this morning to find the office doors sealed, the locks removed, the electricity cut off and the alarm system de-activated.

Attached to the door was a notice apparently from Moscow city authorities, from whom Amnesty rent the building, saying no one could enter the office without being accompanied by a Russian official. The premises was "property of a city of the Russian Federation", the note said.

The Moscow city government, from which Amnesty leased the premises in central Moscow, said the group was behind on the rent, but Amnesty said it had documents to prove it was up to date with payments.

In a statement, the Moscow city property department said it had sent written warnings to Amnesty that it was in rent arrears.

“This complaint was ignored by the unscrupulous tenant,” the statement said. The department said it voided Amnesty's lease on the grounds that the tenant was violating the terms of the rental agreement.

“In this connection, the premises were closed and sealed off,” the statement said.

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Europe Director, said in a statement: “This bizarre claim is simply not true. Amnesty International received no advance notice about this and we have documents proving our rent for the property has been paid up to and including October.”

Amnesty says it had no warning of the closure and is still unsure why the office was sealed. Its staff in Moscow are understood to be working to try to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

It is understood there have been no arrests and the charity does not at this stage believe the office has been searched by authorities. 

(Independent)