MOSCOW, July 6 - RAPSI. On Friday, the State Duma refused to remove an issue from its agenda in regard to depriving Communist deputy Vladimir Bessonov of his parliamentary immunity.

Today, MPs will consider the request of Prosecutor General Yury Chaika for their consent in stripping Bessonov of his immunity "in connection with new criminal proceedings".

The request was filed in late June. Initially, the request came from the Investigative Committee, but was rejected as only the Prosecutor General has the right to file this type of request.

Investigators suspect Bessonov of resisting police officers.

Deputies from the Communist Party and A Just Russia party proposed taking the issue off the agenda: 145 MPs voted for, 161 against and one deputy abstained.

According to law enforcement agencies, Bessonov held an unauthorized rally in front of the residence of the presidential envoy to the Southern Federal District in December 2011.

The police demanded that he stop the protest, but Bessonov and the other organizers ignored the request and started fighting the police officers.

The Communist Party believes the attempts to prosecute the MP are unfounded.

Party member Vadim Solovyov said there was no clash at all, while the accusations are merely the authorities' response to the Communists' refusal to accept the parliamentary and presidential election results.