<p>Russian police detained Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, at an unauthorised protest in Moscow on Sunday.</p>

<p>She was among the thousands of people detained across Russia and blocked off the centre of Moscow on Sunday in a massive clampdown on protests demanding Navalny's release.</p>

<p>The OVD-Info monitor said 4,027 people had been detained on Sunday, after reporting more than 4,000 arrested at similar&nbsp;protests&nbsp;last weekend.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The number of detentions on Sunday hit 1,167 in Moscow and 862 in Saint Petersburg, it said, as the&nbsp;protests&nbsp;were coming to a close after a day that saw thousands rally in cities across the country.</p>

<p>Navalnaya was also detained at a similar protest in support of her husband last week.</p>

<p>Navalny was detained at a Moscow airport in mid-January after flying back to Russia from Germany where he was recovering from an August poisoning he blames on the Kremlin.</p>

<p>The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner is being held in a Moscow detention centre and facing years of potential jail time in several different criminal cases, despite calls from Western governments for his release.</p>

<p>People have since protesting for Navalny's release. After rallies last week across the country, demonstrations were planned for Sunday as well.</p>

<p>In order to curb these protests, thousands of police in riot gear were deployed from Vladivostok in the Far East to Saint Petersburg on the Baltic Sea. In moves not seen in years in Moscow, police locked down the centre of the capital on Sunday, with hundreds lining the streets, central Metro stations closed and the movements of pedestrians restricted.</p>

<p>Protesters who had hoped to gather outside the headquarters of the FSB security service were instead scattered to various parts of the city as organisers made last-minute changes in locations.</p>

<p>Hundreds were marching through the city centre chanting "Freedom!" and "Putin is a thief!" as they headed towards the Matrosskaya Tishina prison where Navalny was being held.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Police followed the protesters, breaking up the crowds and playing pre-recorded messages on loudspeakers warning that the gathering was illegal because of coronavirus restrictions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/navalny-allies-take-to-the-streets-despite-crackdown-360395"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Navalny allies take to the streets despite crackdown,</strong></a></p>

<p>Earlier protesters had rallied in cities including the Pacific port of Vladivostok, where several dozen gathered in a central square despite police closing it off ahead of the rally.</p>

<p>Several thousand were also reported to have protested in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk despite temperatures dropping to -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit).</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the US embassy in Moscow condemned the arrests and blocking of the city centre in Moscow, saying in a tweet: "Russia must respect international human rights commitments."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russian authorities issued several warnings against participating in the unauthorised rallies and threatened criminal charges against protesters.</p>

<p>Navalny is due in court in several cases next week, including on February 2 on charges of violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His wife Yulia posted a picture of her family on Instagram on Sunday, urging supporters to make their voices heard.</p>

<p>This week several Navalny associates, including lawyer Lyubov Sobol and his brother Oleg, were placed under house arrest until late March pending charges for violating coronavirus restrictions by calling people to join protests.</p>

<p>Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh was detained late Saturday also over violating virus measures, the same day she was due to walk free after a nine-day jail term for violating protest laws.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Days after Navalny was taken into custody, his team released a video report alleging Putin had been gifted a $1.35 billion property on the Black Sea coast, garnering over 100 million views on YouTube.</p>

<p>The Kremlin has denied that the Russian president owns the opulent complex, which according to Navalny features an underground ice hockey arena, a private casino and vineyards.</p>

<p>Putin's former aide and billionaire businessman Arkady Rotenberg said Saturday he was the owner of the property and that he was building a hotel there.&nbsp;He is under Western sanctions.</p>

<p><em><strong>(with inputs from agencies)</strong></em></p>


Russian police detained Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, at an unauthorised protest in Moscow on Sunday. She was among the thousands of people detained across Russia and blocked off the centre of Moscow on Sunday in a massive clampdown on protests demanding Navalny's release.

Russian police detained Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, at an unauthorised protest in Moscow on Sunday. She was among the thousands of people detained across Russia and blocked off the centre of Moscow on Sunday in a massive clampdown on protests demanding Navalny's release. The OVD-Info monitor said 4,027 people had been detained on Sunday, after reporting more than 4,000 arrested at similar protests last weekend. The number of detentions on Sunday hit 1,167 in Moscow and 862 in Saint Petersburg, it said, as the protests were coming to a close after a day that saw thousands rally in cities across the country. Navalnaya was also detained at a similar protest in support of her husband last week. Navalny was detained at a Moscow airport in mid-January after flying back to Russia from Germany where he was recovering from an August poisoning he blames on the Kremlin. The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner is being held in a Moscow detention centre and facing years of potential jail time in several different criminal cases, despite calls from Western governments for his release. People have since protesting for Navalny's release. After rallies last week across the country, demonstrations were planned for Sunday as well. In order to curb these protests, thousands of police in riot gear were deployed from Vladivostok in the Far East to Saint Petersburg on the Baltic Sea. In moves not seen in years in Moscow, police locked down the centre of the capital on Sunday, with hundreds lining the streets, central Metro stations closed and the movements of pedestrians restricted. Protesters who had hoped to gather outside the headquarters of the FSB security service were instead scattered to various parts of the city as organisers made last-minute changes in locations. Hundreds were marching through the city centre chanting "Freedom!" and "Putin is a thief!" as they headed towards the Matrosskaya Tishina prison where Navalny was being held. Police followed the protesters, breaking up the crowds and playing pre-recorded messages on loudspeakers warning that the gathering was illegal because of coronavirus restrictions. Also read | Navalny allies take to the streets despite crackdown, Earlier protesters had rallied in cities including the Pacific port of Vladivostok, where several dozen gathered in a central square despite police closing it off ahead of the rally. Several thousand were also reported to have protested in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk despite temperatures dropping to -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit). Meanwhile, the US embassy in Moscow condemned the arrests and blocking of the city centre in Moscow, saying in a tweet: "Russia must respect international human rights commitments." Russian authorities issued several warnings against participating in the unauthorised rallies and threatened criminal charges against protesters. Navalny is due in court in several cases next week, including on February 2 on charges of violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence. His wife Yulia posted a picture of her family on Instagram on Sunday, urging supporters to make their voices heard. This week several Navalny associates, including lawyer Lyubov Sobol and his brother Oleg, were placed under house arrest until late March pending charges for violating coronavirus restrictions by calling people to join protests. Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh was detained late Saturday also over violating virus measures, the same day she was due to walk free after a nine-day jail term for violating protest laws. Days after Navalny was taken into custody, his team released a video report alleging Putin had been gifted a $1.35 billion property on the Black Sea coast, garnering over 100 million views on YouTube. The Kremlin has denied that the Russian president owns the opulent complex, which according to Navalny features an underground ice hockey arena, a private casino and vineyards. Putin's former aide and billionaire businessman Arkady Rotenberg said Saturday he was the owner of the property and that he was building a hotel there. He is under Western sanctions. (with inputs from agencies)

Navalny's wife among thousands held as Russian police clamp down on protests

<p>Russian police briefly detained Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow on Saturday, she wrote on her Instagram from inside a police van.&nbsp;She was later released.</p>

<p>Navalny's wife&nbsp;was one of the many&nbsp;people that the police detained Saturday at rallies across Russia in his support following his call to protest against President Vladimir Putin's rule.</p>

<p>The OVD-Info monitoring group said, earlier in the day, that 1,090 people were detained at protests in dozens of Russian cities. A few media reports said the count was to the tune of 2,000.</p>

<p>Police&nbsp;also detained Lyubov Sobol, a close ally of Navalny's, at the rally.&nbsp;He later said&nbsp;the opposition would hold more protests next weekend to demand Navalny's release.</p>

<p>Yulia wrote on her Instagram in Russian -- which meant:&nbsp;"Sorry for the poor quality. Very bad light in the paddy wagon" -- with an accompanying photo.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKYye2qFQ5v/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKYye2qFQ5v/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKYye2qFQ5v/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKYye2qFQ5v/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by @yulia_navalnaya</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>In the Russian capital, which usually mobilises the largest rallies, protesters planned to meet on the central Pushkin Square at 2:00 pm (1100 GMT) and march towards the Kremlin. But more than an hour before the planned rally police began detaining people.</p>

<p>Putin's fiercest critic put out the mass rally call after surviving a near-fatal poisoning with a Novichok nerve agent and returning to Moscow last weekend following months of treatment in Germany. He was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport and jailed.</p>

<p>Protests were held early Saturday in the Far East, Siberia and the Urals including Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk and Chita where several thousand turned out, Navalny supporters said.</p>

<p>Saturday's rallies are expected to be a major test of the opposition's ability to mobilise despite increasing Kremlin pressure on critics and the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>Ahead of the demonstrations, Navalny's team released a video investigation into an opulent Black Sea property allegedly owned by Putin who has been in power for 20 years. The two-hour report has been viewed more than 66 million times.</p>

<p>In Vladivostok, demonstrators gathered in the city centre, chanting "Putin is a thief" and "Freedom to Navalny!"</p>

<p>Navalny, who is being held in Moscow's high-security Matrosskaya Tishina jail, thanked his supporters on the eve of the rallies.</p>

<p>"I know perfectly well that there are lots of good people outside of my prison's walls and help will come," he said Friday.</p>

<p>Navalny's wife Yulia said she would join the Moscow protest,&nbsp;"For myself, for him, for our children, for the values and the ideals that we share".</p>

<p>Ahead of the demonstrations several key Navalny aides including his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh were taken into police custody for violating protest laws and handed short jail sentences.</p>

<p>The Investigative Committee on Friday launched a criminal probe into the calls for unauthorised protests.</p>

<p>A hastily organised court on Monday jailed Navalny for 30 days, and his supporters fear that authorities are preparing to sentence him to a long prison term to silence him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Navalny, 44, rose to prominence a decade ago and has become the central figure of Russia's opposition movement, leading large-scale street protests against corruption and electoral fraud.&nbsp;His arrest drew widespread Western condemnation, with the United States and the European Union calling for his release.</p>

<p>The "Putin's palace" report released by Navalny alleges the Russian leader owns a 17,691 square metre mansion that sits on a property 39 times the size of Monaco.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kremlin has denied the property belongs to Putin.</p>


Russian police briefly detained Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow on Saturday, she wrote on her Instagram from inside a police van.

Russian police briefly detained Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow on Saturday, she wrote on her Instagram from inside a police van. She was later released. Navalny's wife was one of the many people that the police detained Saturday at rallies across Russia in his support following his call to protest against President Vladimir Putin's rule. The OVD-Info monitoring group said, earlier in the day, that 1,090 people were detained at protests in dozens of Russian cities. A few media reports said the count was to the tune of 2,000. Police also detained Lyubov Sobol, a close ally of Navalny's, at the rally. He later said the opposition would hold more protests next weekend to demand Navalny's release. Yulia wrote on her Instagram in Russian -- which meant: "Sorry for the poor quality. Very bad light in the paddy wagon" -- with an accompanying photo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @yulia_navalnaya × In the Russian capital, which usually mobilises the largest rallies, protesters planned to meet on the central Pushkin Square at 2:00 pm (1100 GMT) and march towards the Kremlin. But more than an hour before the planned rally police began detaining people. Putin's fiercest critic put out the mass rally call after surviving a near-fatal poisoning with a Novichok nerve agent and returning to Moscow last weekend following months of treatment in Germany. He was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport and jailed. Protests were held early Saturday in the Far East, Siberia and the Urals including Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk and Chita where several thousand turned out, Navalny supporters said. Saturday's rallies are expected to be a major test of the opposition's ability to mobilise despite increasing Kremlin pressure on critics and the coronavirus pandemic. Ahead of the demonstrations, Navalny's team released a video investigation into an opulent Black Sea property allegedly owned by Putin who has been in power for 20 years. The two-hour report has been viewed more than 66 million times. In Vladivostok, demonstrators gathered in the city centre, chanting "Putin is a thief" and "Freedom to Navalny!" Navalny, who is being held in Moscow's high-security Matrosskaya Tishina jail, thanked his supporters on the eve of the rallies. "I know perfectly well that there are lots of good people outside of my prison's walls and help will come," he said Friday. Navalny's wife Yulia said she would join the Moscow protest, "For myself, for him, for our children, for the values and the ideals that we share". Ahead of the demonstrations several key Navalny aides including his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh were taken into police custody for violating protest laws and handed short jail sentences. The Investigative Committee on Friday launched a criminal probe into the calls for unauthorised protests. A hastily organised court on Monday jailed Navalny for 30 days, and his supporters fear that authorities are preparing to sentence him to a long prison term to silence him. Navalny, 44, rose to prominence a decade ago and has become the central figure of Russia's opposition movement, leading large-scale street protests against corruption and electoral fraud. His arrest drew widespread Western condemnation, with the United States and the European Union calling for his release. The "Putin's palace" report released by Navalny alleges the Russian leader owns a 17,691 square metre mansion that sits on a property 39 times the size of Monaco. The Kremlin has denied the property belongs to Putin.

Navalny's wife among nearly 2,000 people detained in Russia at rallies

Residents of Khabarovsk, around 3,800 miles (6,110 km) and seven time zones east of Moscow, are unhappy about the detention this month of the wider region's popular governor, Sergei Furgal, who was arrested on murder charges he denies.

Tens of thousands protest against Putin in Russian far east, 26 detained in Moscow

<p>Scores of people joined a second day of protests in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk over the arrest of a popular governor accused of ordering the murders of several businessmen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sergei Furgal was detained on Thursday and has been ordered to remain in pre-trial custody for two months over the crimes 15 years ago. The move triggered a mass demonstration on Saturday in Khabarovsk that was joined by around 40,000 people.</p>

<p>On Sunday, local supporters of leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny put the turnout at around 2,000.</p>

<p>Furgal won the race for Khabarovsk governor by a landslide in 2018, defeating a member of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.</p>

<p>The arrest of the former doctor came just days after Putin -- who has been in power for two decades -- won a landslide ballot on constitutional reforms that could allow him to extend his rule until 2036.</p>

<p>Furgal, leader of the Kremlin-friendly LDPR opposition party, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/massive-protests-in-russia-after-famous-governors-arrest-312536"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Massive protests in Russia after famous governor's arrest</strong></a></p>

<p>Saturday's demonstrations -- which saw protesters chanting anti-Putin slogans -- were unprecedented for almost any Russian city outside Moscow and Saint Petersburg.</p>

<p>The local government on Sunday urged people to show calm, noting all gatherings were banned under coronavirus restrictions.</p>

<p><em><strong>(with inputs from agencies)</strong></em></p>


Scores of people joined a second day of protests in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk over the arrest of a popular governor accused of ordering the murders of several businessmen.

Scores of people joined a second day of protests in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk over the arrest of a popular governor accused of ordering the murders of several businessmen. Sergei Furgal was detained on Thursday and has been ordered to remain in pre-trial custody for two months over the crimes 15 years ago. The move triggered a mass demonstration on Saturday in Khabarovsk that was joined by around 40,000 people. On Sunday, local supporters of leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny put the turnout at around 2,000. Furgal won the race for Khabarovsk governor by a landslide in 2018, defeating a member of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. The arrest of the former doctor came just days after Putin -- who has been in power for two decades -- won a landslide ballot on constitutional reforms that could allow him to extend his rule until 2036. Furgal, leader of the Kremlin-friendly LDPR opposition party, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Also read | Massive protests in Russia after famous governor's arrest Saturday's demonstrations -- which saw protesters chanting anti-Putin slogans -- were unprecedented for almost any Russian city outside Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The local government on Sunday urged people to show calm, noting all gatherings were banned under coronavirus restrictions. (with inputs from agencies)

Protests over governor's arrest in Russia enter second day

<p>Critics of Vladimir Putin took to the streets of Russia on Saturday ahead of his inauguration for a fourth presidential term to register their opposition to what they say is his autocratic Tsar-like rule.</p>

<p>Putin won a landslide re-election victory in March, extending his grip over the world's largest country for another six years until 2024, making him the longest-lasting leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin who ruled for nearly 30 years.</p>

<p>"If you think that he is not our Tsar, take to the streets of your cities," read a message from opposition leader Alexei Navalny encouraging people to demonstrate ahead of the protests.</p>

<p>"We will force the authorities, made up of swindlers and thieves, to reckon with the millions of citizens who did not vote for Putin."</p>

<p>Navalny, who has been repeatedly detained and jailed for organising similar protests in the past, called for rallies in more than 90 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg where protests were due to start at 1100 GMT.</p>

<p>Navalny activists posted photographs on social media of hundreds of protesters taking part in rallies in Russia's Far East and Siberia, and OVD Info, a human rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining around 20 people across the country.</p>

<p>"Putin has already been on his throne for 18 years!" one activist told a crowd in the city of Khabarovsk.</p>

<p>"We've ended up in a dead end over these 18 years. I don't want to put up with this!"</p>

<p>Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000.</p>

<p>Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.</p>

<p><strong>Protests Illegal</strong></p>

<p>The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not agreed with them beforehand. Police have broken up similar demonstrations in the past, sometimes harshly, detaining hundreds.</p>

<p>Putin has dismissed Navalny, who was barred from running in the presidential election on what he said was a trumped up pretext, as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan.</p>

<p>Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp and circumstance.</p>

<p>With almost 77 per cent of the vote and more than 56 million votes, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern.</p>

<p>However, European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.</p>


Critics of Vladimir Putin took to the streets of Russia on Saturday ahead of his inauguration for a fourth presidential term to register their opposition to what they say is his autocratic Tsar-like rule

Critics of Vladimir Putin took to the streets of Russia on Saturday ahead of his inauguration for a fourth presidential term to register their opposition to what they say is his autocratic Tsar-like rule. Putin won a landslide re-election victory in March, extending his grip over the world's largest country for another six years until 2024, making him the longest-lasting leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin who ruled for nearly 30 years. "If you think that he is not our Tsar, take to the streets of your cities," read a message from opposition leader Alexei Navalny encouraging people to demonstrate ahead of the protests. "We will force the authorities, made up of swindlers and thieves, to reckon with the millions of citizens who did not vote for Putin." Navalny, who has been repeatedly detained and jailed for organising similar protests in the past, called for rallies in more than 90 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg where protests were due to start at 1100 GMT. Navalny activists posted photographs on social media of hundreds of protesters taking part in rallies in Russia's Far East and Siberia, and OVD Info, a human rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining around 20 people across the country. "Putin has already been on his throne for 18 years!" one activist told a crowd in the city of Khabarovsk. "We've ended up in a dead end over these 18 years. I don't want to put up with this!" Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000. Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. Protests Illegal The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not agreed with them beforehand. Police have broken up similar demonstrations in the past, sometimes harshly, detaining hundreds. Putin has dismissed Navalny, who was barred from running in the presidential election on what he said was a trumped up pretext, as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan. Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp and circumstance. With almost 77 per cent of the vote and more than 56 million votes, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern. However, European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Putin opponents protest across Russia before presidential inauguration