Nearly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tens-of-thousands-call-for-fair-elections-at-moscow-rally-242057">50,000 opposition supporters rallied </a>and dozens were arrested in Moscow on Saturday at one of the largest authorised protests since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012.

Demonstrators crowded the central Prospekt Andreya Sakharova street, where city authorities deployed a massive police presence, including officers in riot gear, after permitting for the rally to go ahead.

The White Counter, an NGO that tracks participants in rallies, counted 49,900 people, while Moscow police gave a much lower attendance figure of 20,000.

A total of 71 people were detained in Moscow and a further 80 were arrested in Russia's second-largest city of Saint Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an NGO that monitors detentions at protests.

In recent weeks, thousands have attended street protests calling for free and fair elections after the exclusion of several opposition figures, including allies of top Putin critic Alexei Navalny, from local Moscow polls next month.

While the rally was authorised, Navalny -- who is currently in jail -- had urged supporters to walk peacefully through the city afterwards.

Navalny's associate, Boris Zolotarevsky, told protesters to proceed to Putin's administration offices. He was detained by police shortly afterwards.

- 'Citizens are hostages' -

At the rally, some protesters carried placards with slogans such as "Give us the right to vote!" and "You've lied to us enough", while others held up pictures of activists arrested at earlier demonstrations.&nbsp;

"I'm outraged by this injustice at every level. They're not letting candidates stand who have collected all the necessary signatures. They are arresting people who are protesting peacefully," said one protester, Irina Dargolts, a 60-year-old engineer.

"It feels like the country is a prisoner and its citizens are hostages... No one represents the people," said Dmitry Khobbotovsky, an activist for the Open Russia movement funded by Kremlin foe and former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Showing the movement's appeal to young Russians, one of the country's most famous rappers, Oxxxymiron, attended the rally and another popular rapper Face performed on stage.

"I'm performing here today so that my people have freedom and the right to choose," said Face, 22, known for his facial tattoos.

- Police crackdown - 
Riot police and the national guard had detained over 2,000 people at the previous two rallies, which were not authorised by city officials, and a dozen protesters face criminal charges and risk jail terms for "mass disorder".

Most opposition candidates banned from participating in the Moscow election have now been jailed for violating protest laws. &nbsp;

One of the rally speakers was the wife of opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov, who is serving a 30-day sentence.

"Each of us has the right to run for office and they are very afraid of that," said Valeriya Gudkova.&nbsp;

"We have real support from the public and they just have criminals in their electoral commissions."&nbsp;

- 'Attempt to gag us' -

As he enters his third decade in power, Putin's approval ratings have dropped significantly and critics say the authorities fear any outlet calling for wider political change.

The latest demonstration came this week as authorities mounted their harshest attack yet on Navalny's team, focusing on his anti-corruption foundation which publishes investigations of officials close to Putin.

One of the foundation's lawyers, Lyubov Sobol, was detained Saturday at her campaign office by police in riot gear, she wrote on social media.&nbsp;

Riot police also raided the studio where Navalny's supporters were set to run a live broadcast of the protest, activists said.

On Thursday, investigators raided the foundation's office as part of a probe into alleged acceptance of donations of laundered money and a court froze the foundation's accounts.

"This is the most aggressive attempt yet to gag us," Navalny wrote in a blog entry he issued through lawyers while serving a 30-day sentence.

Nearly 50,000 opposition supporters rallied and dozens were arrested in Moscow on Saturday at one of the largest authorised protests since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012.

Nearly 50,000 opposition supporters rallied and dozens were arrested in Moscow on Saturday at one of the largest authorised protests since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012. Demonstrators crowded the central Prospekt Andreya Sakharova street, where city authorities deployed a massive police presence, including officers in riot gear, after permitting for the rally to go ahead. The White Counter, an NGO that tracks participants in rallies, counted 49,900 people, while Moscow police gave a much lower attendance figure of 20,000. A total of 71 people were detained in Moscow and a further 80 were arrested in Russia's second-largest city of Saint Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an NGO that monitors detentions at protests. In recent weeks, thousands have attended street protests calling for free and fair elections after the exclusion of several opposition figures, including allies of top Putin critic Alexei Navalny, from local Moscow polls next month. While the rally was authorised, Navalny -- who is currently in jail -- had urged supporters to walk peacefully through the city afterwards. Navalny's associate, Boris Zolotarevsky, told protesters to proceed to Putin's administration offices. He was detained by police shortly afterwards. - 'Citizens are hostages' - At the rally, some protesters carried placards with slogans such as "Give us the right to vote!" and "You've lied to us enough", while others held up pictures of activists arrested at earlier demonstrations. "I'm outraged by this injustice at every level. They're not letting candidates stand who have collected all the necessary signatures. They are arresting people who are protesting peacefully," said one protester, Irina Dargolts, a 60-year-old engineer. "It feels like the country is a prisoner and its citizens are hostages... No one represents the people," said Dmitry Khobbotovsky, an activist for the Open Russia movement funded by Kremlin foe and former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Showing the movement's appeal to young Russians, one of the country's most famous rappers, Oxxxymiron, attended the rally and another popular rapper Face performed on stage. "I'm performing here today so that my people have freedom and the right to choose," said Face, 22, known for his facial tattoos. - Police crackdown - Riot police and the national guard had detained over 2,000 people at the previous two rallies, which were not authorised by city officials, and a dozen protesters face criminal charges and risk jail terms for "mass disorder". Most opposition candidates banned from participating in the Moscow election have now been jailed for violating protest laws. One of the rally speakers was the wife of opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov, who is serving a 30-day sentence. "Each of us has the right to run for office and they are very afraid of that," said Valeriya Gudkova. "We have real support from the public and they just have criminals in their electoral commissions." - 'Attempt to gag us' - As he enters his third decade in power, Putin's approval ratings have dropped significantly and critics say the authorities fear any outlet calling for wider political change. The latest demonstration came this week as authorities mounted their harshest attack yet on Navalny's team, focusing on his anti-corruption foundation which publishes investigations of officials close to Putin. One of the foundation's lawyers, Lyubov Sobol, was detained Saturday at her campaign office by police in riot gear, she wrote on social media. Riot police also raided the studio where Navalny's supporters were set to run a live broadcast of the protest, activists said. On Thursday, investigators raided the foundation's office as part of a probe into alleged acceptance of donations of laundered money and a court froze the foundation's accounts. "This is the most aggressive attempt yet to gag us," Navalny wrote in a blog entry he issued through lawyers while serving a 30-day sentence.

Dozens arrested at huge opposition rally in Moscow

Thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-was-putins-political-rival-poisoned-239314">Russian opposition protesters</a> were expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,000 people, sometimes violently, in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought widespread international condemnation.

A Moscow court said on Friday that 88 people had been taken into custody for taking part in last weekend`s protest, another 332 fined, and that more than 1,000 charge sheets had been drawn up. Many of the anti-Kremlin opposition`s leading figures, including Alexei Navalny, are now behind bars.&nbsp;

Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches after the last protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail.

The focus of protesters` anger is a prohibition on a slew of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of Navalny, from taking part in a September election for Moscow`s city legislature.

That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021.

Authorities say the opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register.

The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win.

Government's rating down

The ruling United Russia party`s rating is at its lowest since 2011 and President Vladimir Putin`s own rating has fallen due to discontent over falling living standards.

Lyubov Sobol, one of the excluded candidates, told Reuters demonstrations would continue until the authorities backed down.

"It won`t be solved until they understand that people are demanding political representation that takes account of their own opinion and will, that these people are not going away," said Sobol, who is on a hunger strike.

At least of eight of Sobol`s allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. United Russia dominates the national parliament, and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time.&nbsp;

Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that the demonstration had not been approved and that its organisers could be brought to account.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, has told the opposition he will not allow their protest movement to plunge the Russian capital into anarchy.&nbsp;

The planned protest underlines the determination of Kremlin critics - especially younger people - to keep pressing to open Russia`s tightly-choreographed political system to competition.

At well over 60 per cent, Putin`s approval rating is still high compared to many other world leaders, but lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes.&nbsp;

Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.&nbsp;

Thousands of Russian opposition protesters were expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

Thousands of Russian opposition protesters were expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event. At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,000 people, sometimes violently, in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought widespread international condemnation. A Moscow court said on Friday that 88 people had been taken into custody for taking part in last weekend`s protest, another 332 fined, and that more than 1,000 charge sheets had been drawn up. Many of the anti-Kremlin opposition`s leading figures, including Alexei Navalny, are now behind bars. Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches after the last protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail. The focus of protesters` anger is a prohibition on a slew of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of Navalny, from taking part in a September election for Moscow`s city legislature. That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021. Authorities say the opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register. The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win. Government's rating down The ruling United Russia party`s rating is at its lowest since 2011 and President Vladimir Putin`s own rating has fallen due to discontent over falling living standards. Lyubov Sobol, one of the excluded candidates, told Reuters demonstrations would continue until the authorities backed down. "It won`t be solved until they understand that people are demanding political representation that takes account of their own opinion and will, that these people are not going away," said Sobol, who is on a hunger strike. At least of eight of Sobol`s allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. United Russia dominates the national parliament, and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time. Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that the demonstration had not been approved and that its organisers could be brought to account. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, has told the opposition he will not allow their protest movement to plunge the Russian capital into anarchy. The planned protest underlines the determination of Kremlin critics - especially younger people - to keep pressing to open Russia`s tightly-choreographed political system to competition. At well over 60 per cent, Putin`s approval rating is still high compared to many other world leaders, but lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Russian opposition plans new election protest despite crackdown

Russian police on Saturday detained prominent opposition activist Lyubov Sobol ahead of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-plans-new-election-protest-despite-crackdown-240340">planned protest in Moscow</a> to demand free elections.

Thousands of Russian opposition protesters are expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

Sobol had called on people to attend the demonstration, which authorities in Moscow had refused to sanction.

Sobol, who is on hunger strike, was detained in a taxi as she tried to make her way to the protest and driven off in a police van.

The unauthorised march along Moscow's leafy boulevards will be the latest in a series of demonstrations after officials refused to let popular opposition candidates run in next month's city parliament elections.

The local issue has boiled over into one of the worst political conflicts of recent years, with rallies of up to 22,000 people and police violence against demonstrators.

More than 6,000 people said on Facebook they would take part in the march along Moscow's so-called Boulevard Ring on Saturday to "bring back the right to elections".

Authorities installed barriers along the route ahead of the protest.

Candidates needed to collect signatures from city residents to stand in the polls but officials said they were disqualified because some names were forged.

But candidates, including allies of top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, insist their signatures were thrown out arbitrarily, and the whole vetting process was skewed against them.

Many Muscovites said their signatures in support of opposition candidates were declared invalid for no reason.

President Vladimir Putin has yet to comment on the situation in Moscow.

Russian police on Saturday detained prominent opposition activist Lyubov Sobol ahead of a planned protest in Moscow to demand free elections. Thousands of Russian opposition protesters are expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

Russian police on Saturday detained prominent opposition activist Lyubov Sobol ahead of a planned protest in Moscow to demand free elections. Thousands of Russian opposition protesters are expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event. Sobol had called on people to attend the demonstration, which authorities in Moscow had refused to sanction. Sobol, who is on hunger strike, was detained in a taxi as she tried to make her way to the protest and driven off in a police van. The unauthorised march along Moscow's leafy boulevards will be the latest in a series of demonstrations after officials refused to let popular opposition candidates run in next month's city parliament elections. The local issue has boiled over into one of the worst political conflicts of recent years, with rallies of up to 22,000 people and police violence against demonstrators. More than 6,000 people said on Facebook they would take part in the march along Moscow's so-called Boulevard Ring on Saturday to "bring back the right to elections". Authorities installed barriers along the route ahead of the protest. Candidates needed to collect signatures from city residents to stand in the polls but officials said they were disqualified because some names were forged. But candidates, including allies of top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, insist their signatures were thrown out arbitrarily, and the whole vetting process was skewed against them. Many Muscovites said their signatures in support of opposition candidates were declared invalid for no reason. President Vladimir Putin has yet to comment on the situation in Moscow.

Russian police detain prominent opposition activist before protest

Russian investigators on Tuesday launched a probe into "mass unrest", a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison after thousands took to the streets at the weekend to demand fair elections.

Nearly 1,400 people were arrested on Saturday at an unauthorised protest in central Moscow that was broken up by baton-wielding riot police, as anger grows against authorities' refusal to allow prominent opposition candidates to stand for the city parliament.

The crackdown was the largest of its kind since 2012 when tens of thousands of people came out to protest Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency after four years as prime minister.

Federal investigators said their probe would target not just the organisers of the weekend rally but also participants. The investigation will also look into violence against police and other officials, they said in a statement.

The probe is part of a wider move by authorities to quell the protest movement, which comes amid growing public frustration over declining living standards and a fall in Putin's approval ratings.

Opposition leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alexei-navalny-the-lawyer-standing-up-to-vladimir-putin-239518">Alexei Navalny</a> is serving a 30-day jail term for calling on people to attend the weekend demonstration.&nbsp;

On Sunday, the 43-year-old was taken from his prison cell to hospital after what was initially reported as a severe allergic reaction but his lawyer Olga Mikhailova said was a poisoning by an unknown chemical substance.

Navalny's doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva criticised authorities' decision to return him to prison following treatment, and complained on Tuesday she was not allowed to visit him in jail.

A number of other opposition figures, who applied to stand in the September elections but were rejected, have been jailed since the rally.&nbsp;

Opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov was on Tuesday sentenced to a month over an earlier unauthorised protest, while would-be candidate Ilya Yashin was jailed for 20 days in two separate sentencings.

The director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, Ivan Zhdanov, was on Monday jailed for 15 days, and independent politician Yulia Galyamina sentenced to 10 days on Tuesday.

'Obliged to use force'

Earlier Tuesday, a senior representative of the Russian prosecutor general's office called for a "severe" response to any further unauthorised rallies.

The opposition has however already called for a new unsanctioned protest on Saturday, and more than 13,000 people have indicated an interest on Facebook.&nbsp;

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a top Putin ally, accused organisers of preparing a "fresh provocation".&nbsp;

In a TV interview, he defended the response of police, who he said were "obliged to use force" during the weekend demonstration.

The West has condemned the actions of the Russian police, who used batons on demonstrators on Saturday. AFP journalists at the scene saw protesters with injuries.

Elections to Moscow's 45-seat legislative body, currently controlled by the ruling party United Russia, are to be held on September 8.

Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's two decades in power.

Russian investigators on Tuesday launched a probe into "mass unrest", a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison after thousands took to the streets at the weekend to demand fair elections.

Russian investigators on Tuesday launched a probe into "mass unrest", a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison after thousands took to the streets at the weekend to demand fair elections. Nearly 1,400 people were arrested on Saturday at an unauthorised protest in central Moscow that was broken up by baton-wielding riot police, as anger grows against authorities' refusal to allow prominent opposition candidates to stand for the city parliament. The crackdown was the largest of its kind since 2012 when tens of thousands of people came out to protest Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency after four years as prime minister. Federal investigators said their probe would target not just the organisers of the weekend rally but also participants. The investigation will also look into violence against police and other officials, they said in a statement. The probe is part of a wider move by authorities to quell the protest movement, which comes amid growing public frustration over declining living standards and a fall in Putin's approval ratings. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny is serving a 30-day jail term for calling on people to attend the weekend demonstration. On Sunday, the 43-year-old was taken from his prison cell to hospital after what was initially reported as a severe allergic reaction but his lawyer Olga Mikhailova said was a poisoning by an unknown chemical substance. Navalny's doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva criticised authorities' decision to return him to prison following treatment, and complained on Tuesday she was not allowed to visit him in jail. A number of other opposition figures, who applied to stand in the September elections but were rejected, have been jailed since the rally. Opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov was on Tuesday sentenced to a month over an earlier unauthorised protest, while would-be candidate Ilya Yashin was jailed for 20 days in two separate sentencings. The director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, Ivan Zhdanov, was on Monday jailed for 15 days, and independent politician Yulia Galyamina sentenced to 10 days on Tuesday. 'Obliged to use force' Earlier Tuesday, a senior representative of the Russian prosecutor general's office called for a "severe" response to any further unauthorised rallies. The opposition has however already called for a new unsanctioned protest on Saturday, and more than 13,000 people have indicated an interest on Facebook. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a top Putin ally, accused organisers of preparing a "fresh provocation". In a TV interview, he defended the response of police, who he said were "obliged to use force" during the weekend demonstration. The West has condemned the actions of the Russian police, who used batons on demonstrators on Saturday. AFP journalists at the scene saw protesters with injuries. Elections to Moscow's 45-seat legislative body, currently controlled by the ruling party United Russia, are to be held on September 8. Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's two decades in power.

Russia launches criminal probe after mass protest for fair elections

More than 650,000 people have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to toughen domestic violence legislation thanks to a hard-hitting social media campaign.

The petition was created a few years ago but has only gathered steam over the past week after Russian female bloggers and women's rights activists threw their weight behind it with an online campaign.

The women have posted photos of themselves with make-up suggesting cuts and bruises, along with the slogan,&nbsp;"I did not want to die."

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Gj4m3isoR/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Совсем недавно погибла очередная жертва домашнего насилия. Оксану Садыкову начал бить муж. И когда чаша терпения переполнилась, она написала на него заявление о побоях и подала на развод. В полиции ничего не сделали, мужа отпустили, он подкараулил ее в подъезде и убил на глазах у 8-летнего сына. Трое несовершеннолетних детей остались без матери. ⠀ Оксана была бы сейчас жива, существуй у нас закон о домашнем насилии. После избиений и попытки удушения ее муж не должен был находиться на свободе, или же Оксану должен был защищать охранный ордер. Муж должен был носить датчик движения и проходить психологическую программу для агрессоров (они, кстати, работают великолепно. В других странах). Но наше государство не защитило Оксану, и она умерла при попытке уйти. ⠀ Таких Оксан у нас в стране много. ⠀ Ежегодно от домашнего насилия в России гибнут около 12.000-14 000 женщин (https://rg.ru/2012/10/23/nasilie.html) В Америке, где сильно развита система профилактики и борьбы с домашним насилием, в 3-4 раза меньше. Хотя население там в два раза больше, чем у нас. ⠀ России нужен федеральный закон о профилактике семейного насилия и помощи пострадавшим от него. Есть шанс, что его будут рассматривать этой осенью. Чтобы это точно произошло, нам нужна максимальная огласка. ⠀ Внезапно я поняла, что действовать надо прямо сейчас, и что только моего голоса мало. И обратилась за помощью к другим блогерам. А сейчас хочу обратиться к вам. ⠀ Мы запускаем #ЯНеХотелаУмирать — флешмоб в поддержку закона о домашнем насилии, который спасает жизни уже в 146 странах. Мы требуем принять его в России. ⠀ РОССИИ НУЖЕН ЭТОТ ЗАКОН. Пожалуйста, если вы понимаете это, помогите нам добиться его принятия — выскажитесь публично о его необходимости. ⠀ Чтобы поучаствовать, надо сделать фото с надписью #ЯНеХотелаУмирать на себе или с табличкой с хэштэгом #ЯНеХотелаУмирать (можно сделать грим, но это не обязательно) и в посте тоже указать хэштэг. Табличка или надпись необязательна, если у вас нет возможности их сделать. Важна любая поддержка. ⠀ Дальше в серии➡️</a>

<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 post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alexandramitroshina/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Обычный человек Саша Митрошина</a> (@alexandramitroshina) on <time datetime="2019-07-19T14:57:45+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jul 19, 2019 at 7:57am PDT</time>
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The aim is to help boost a petition first launched by leading women's rights figure Aliona Popova, urging Russia to adopt a law protecting victims of domestic violence, which mainly affects women.

Russia's legal system effectively leaves women without any state protection against abuse at home.

The issue is rarely discussed publicly and campaigners say police often ignore cases.&nbsp;

"In Russia, almost 16 million women are victims of domestic violence every year," Popova said at a news conference on Monday, hailing the online campaign for helping to garner more than 650,000 signatures.

There is no separate law covering domestic violence in cases where the victim is living with the attacker, but rather it is included under the offence of battery.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law watering down the punishment of abuse in families in 2017, making a first offence punishable by only a fine instead of a jail sentence.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, the European Court of Human Rights issued its first ruling on a domestic violence case in Russia.

The court noted Russian authorities' "reluctance to acknowledge the seriousness and extent of the problem."

"One out of three women in Russia is beaten by their husband or partner. Every 45 minutes, a woman is killed at home -- these numbers are terrifying," Olga Kravtsova, a blogger with a large following on social media, wrote on Instagram earlier this month.&nbsp;

Last month, a case against three teenage sisters who killed their father after years of alleged beatings and sexual abuse sparked protests and highlighted Russia's dire record on domestic violence.&nbsp;

In late 2017, the nation was shaken by the fate of Margarita Gracheva whose husband took her to a forest where he tortured her and chopped off her hands. The tragedy took place after the police had ignored her complaints.&nbsp;

More than 650,000 people have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to toughen domestic violence legislation thanks to a hard-hitting social media campaign.

More than 650,000 people have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to toughen domestic violence legislation thanks to a hard-hitting social media campaign. The petition was created a few years ago but has only gathered steam over the past week after Russian female bloggers and women's rights activists threw their weight behind it with an online campaign. The women have posted photos of themselves with make-up suggesting cuts and bruises, along with the slogan, "I did not want to die." View this post on Instagram Совсем недавно погибла очередная жертва домашнего насилия. Оксану Садыкову начал бить муж. И когда чаша терпения переполнилась, она написала на него заявление о побоях и подала на развод. В полиции ничего не сделали, мужа отпустили, он подкараулил ее в подъезде и убил на глазах у 8-летнего сына. Трое несовершеннолетних детей остались без матери. ⠀ Оксана была бы сейчас жива, существуй у нас закон о домашнем насилии. После избиений и попытки удушения ее муж не должен был находиться на свободе, или же Оксану должен был защищать охранный ордер. Муж должен был носить датчик движения и проходить психологическую программу для агрессоров (они, кстати, работают великолепно. В других странах). Но наше государство не защитило Оксану, и она умерла при попытке уйти. ⠀ Таких Оксан у нас в стране много. ⠀ Ежегодно от домашнего насилия в России гибнут около 12.000-14 000 женщин (https://rg.ru/2012/10/23/nasilie.html) В Америке, где сильно развита система профилактики и борьбы с домашним насилием, в 3-4 раза меньше. Хотя население там в два раза больше, чем у нас. ⠀ России нужен федеральный закон о профилактике семейного насилия и помощи пострадавшим от него. Есть шанс, что его будут рассматривать этой осенью. Чтобы это точно произошло, нам нужна максимальная огласка. ⠀ Внезапно я поняла, что действовать надо прямо сейчас, и что только моего голоса мало. И обратилась за помощью к другим блогерам. А сейчас хочу обратиться к вам. ⠀ Мы запускаем #ЯНеХотелаУмирать — флешмоб в поддержку закона о домашнем насилии, который спасает жизни уже в 146 странах. Мы требуем принять его в России. ⠀ РОССИИ НУЖЕН ЭТОТ ЗАКОН. Пожалуйста, если вы понимаете это, помогите нам добиться его принятия — выскажитесь публично о его необходимости. ⠀ Чтобы поучаствовать, надо сделать фото с надписью #ЯНеХотелаУмирать на себе или с табличкой с хэштэгом #ЯНеХотелаУмирать (можно сделать грим, но это не обязательно) и в посте тоже указать хэштэг. Табличка или надпись необязательна, если у вас нет возможности их сделать. Важна любая поддержка. ⠀ Дальше в серии➡️ A post shared by Обычный человек Саша Митрошина (@alexandramitroshina) on Jul 19, 2019 at 7:57am PDT × The aim is to help boost a petition first launched by leading women's rights figure Aliona Popova, urging Russia to adopt a law protecting victims of domestic violence, which mainly affects women. Russia's legal system effectively leaves women without any state protection against abuse at home. The issue is rarely discussed publicly and campaigners say police often ignore cases. "In Russia, almost 16 million women are victims of domestic violence every year," Popova said at a news conference on Monday, hailing the online campaign for helping to garner more than 650,000 signatures. There is no separate law covering domestic violence in cases where the victim is living with the attacker, but rather it is included under the offence of battery. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law watering down the punishment of abuse in families in 2017, making a first offence punishable by only a fine instead of a jail sentence. Earlier this month, the European Court of Human Rights issued its first ruling on a domestic violence case in Russia. The court noted Russian authorities' "reluctance to acknowledge the seriousness and extent of the problem." "One out of three women in Russia is beaten by their husband or partner. Every 45 minutes, a woman is killed at home -- these numbers are terrifying," Olga Kravtsova, a blogger with a large following on social media, wrote on Instagram earlier this month. Last month, a case against three teenage sisters who killed their father after years of alleged beatings and sexual abuse sparked protests and highlighted Russia's dire record on domestic violence. In late 2017, the nation was shaken by the fate of Margarita Gracheva whose husband took her to a forest where he tortured her and chopped off her hands. The tragedy took place after the police had ignored her complaints.

Over 650,000 sign Russia petition to boost domestic violence law

Russian police rounded up more than 1,000 people in Moscow on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns of recent times against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin's tight grip on power.

The detentions came around a protest to demand that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-detains-more-than-500-people-over-election-protest-monitor-238890">opposition members</a> be allowed to run in a local election. Authorities had declared it illegal and sought to block participation, but several thousand people turned up anyway in one of the longest and most determined protests of recent years.

Chants of "Russia without Putin" and "Putin resign" echoed through central Moscow as guardsmen clad in riot gear beat back protesters with batons and roughly detained people.

At least one woman and a man appeared to have suffered serious head wounds.

Saturday's events showed how activists and especially younger people remain intent on pressing to open Russia's tightly-choreographed political system to competition.

Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny had called the protest to persuade officials to allow opposition-minded candidates to run in a September 8 vote.

Authorities say they were barred because they failed to collect sufficient genuine signatures in their support.

The opposition has no seats in parliament and is starved of air time on state TV where many Russians still get their news.

Opinion polls in the past have shown support for Navalny, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist, only in the single digits. But backers note he won almost a third of the vote in a 2013 Moscow mayoral race and say his movement could build momentum in the Russian capital if allowed to compete fairly.

Though Putin's approval rating is still high at well over 60 per cent, it is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Burnishing his man of action image, Putin spent Saturday diving to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland in a mini-submarine to honour a Soviet submarine that sunk there in World War Two.

Arrested 'sitting on a bench'

OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police detained at least 1,067 people before or at Saturday's protest. As in past sweeps, many were only held for a matter of hours.

Police put participation at more than 3,500 people, of whom it said around 700 people were journalists and bloggers.

Some activists were arrested twice after being released and then returning to protest in a different place.&nbsp;

One of those detained, Alexander Latyshev, 45, said he had come from the nearby Vladimir region to discuss business with an associate and been randomly detained. "I was just sitting on a bench (when they took me)," he told.

Police also raided an office being used by Navalny's supporters to live-stream the protest.

TV Rain, an independent station covering the protests, said its editor-in-chief had been called in for questioning.

Under Russian law, the location and timing of such protests need to be agreed with authorities beforehand, something that was not done for Saturday's event.

Kremlin critic Navalny was jailed for 30 days on Wednesday and other members of the opposition have had their homes searched. Ilya Yashin, a Navalny ally, said police had searched his Moscow flat overnight before detaining him and driving him out of the capital. He called for another protest next Saturday.

Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokeswoman, said on Twitter she had been detained on Saturday morning. Other prominent activists Dmitry Gudkov and Lyubov Sobol were also held.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, had warned beforehand that authorities would act decisively against the risk of "serious provocations".

The police's investigative arm has already opened a criminal investigation into an opposition rally in June which it said may have obstructed the work of Moscow's electoral commission.

An authorised protest in Moscow last weekend, also calling for the disbarred candidates to be registered, was attended by more than 20,000 people, according to the White Counter monitoring group.

Russian police rounded up more than 1,000 people in Moscow on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns of recent times against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin's tight grip on power.

Russian police rounded up more than 1,000 people in Moscow on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns of recent times against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin's tight grip on power. The detentions came around a protest to demand that opposition members be allowed to run in a local election. Authorities had declared it illegal and sought to block participation, but several thousand people turned up anyway in one of the longest and most determined protests of recent years. Chants of "Russia without Putin" and "Putin resign" echoed through central Moscow as guardsmen clad in riot gear beat back protesters with batons and roughly detained people. At least one woman and a man appeared to have suffered serious head wounds. Saturday's events showed how activists and especially younger people remain intent on pressing to open Russia's tightly-choreographed political system to competition. Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny had called the protest to persuade officials to allow opposition-minded candidates to run in a September 8 vote. Authorities say they were barred because they failed to collect sufficient genuine signatures in their support. The opposition has no seats in parliament and is starved of air time on state TV where many Russians still get their news. Opinion polls in the past have shown support for Navalny, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist, only in the single digits. But backers note he won almost a third of the vote in a 2013 Moscow mayoral race and say his movement could build momentum in the Russian capital if allowed to compete fairly. Though Putin's approval rating is still high at well over 60 per cent, it is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024. Burnishing his man of action image, Putin spent Saturday diving to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland in a mini-submarine to honour a Soviet submarine that sunk there in World War Two. Arrested 'sitting on a bench' OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police detained at least 1,067 people before or at Saturday's protest. As in past sweeps, many were only held for a matter of hours. Police put participation at more than 3,500 people, of whom it said around 700 people were journalists and bloggers. Some activists were arrested twice after being released and then returning to protest in a different place. One of those detained, Alexander Latyshev, 45, said he had come from the nearby Vladimir region to discuss business with an associate and been randomly detained. "I was just sitting on a bench (when they took me)," he told. Police also raided an office being used by Navalny's supporters to live-stream the protest. TV Rain, an independent station covering the protests, said its editor-in-chief had been called in for questioning. Under Russian law, the location and timing of such protests need to be agreed with authorities beforehand, something that was not done for Saturday's event. Kremlin critic Navalny was jailed for 30 days on Wednesday and other members of the opposition have had their homes searched. Ilya Yashin, a Navalny ally, said police had searched his Moscow flat overnight before detaining him and driving him out of the capital. He called for another protest next Saturday. Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokeswoman, said on Twitter she had been detained on Saturday morning. Other prominent activists Dmitry Gudkov and Lyubov Sobol were also held. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, had warned beforehand that authorities would act decisively against the risk of "serious provocations". The police's investigative arm has already opened a criminal investigation into an opposition rally in June which it said may have obstructed the work of Moscow's electoral commission. An authorised protest in Moscow last weekend, also calling for the disbarred candidates to be registered, was attended by more than 20,000 people, according to the White Counter monitoring group.

Russia detains more than 1,000 people in opposition crackdown

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, currently serving time in jail for calling for unauthorised protests, was hospitalised after suffering an acute allergic reaction on Sunday, his spokeswoman said.

Navalny was jailed this week for 30 days for calling for an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-detains-more-than-1000-people-in-opposition-crackdown-238939">unauthorised march to protest against the exclusion of several opposition candidates</a> from a local election later this year.

Authorities say the opposition candidates were barred because they failed to collect enough genuine signatures backing them, an allegation they reject as false.

Police rounded up more than 1,000 people in the Russian capital at the march on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns in recent years against the opposition.

Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokeswoman, wrote on Twitter that he had been hospitalised on Sunday morning with "severe swelling of the face and skin redness."

She said the cause of Navalny's allergic reaction was unknown and that he had never had suffered from such reactions in the past.

The Moscow hospital where Navalny's spokeswoman said he was being treated could not immediately be reached for comment.

In a separate incident on Sunday, Russian activist Dmitry Gudkov, who was among the opposition candidates barred from running in local elections this year, said he was detained and taken to a Moscow police station.

The reason for Gudkov's detention was not immediately clear, his spokesman Alexei Obukhov told Reuters.

Russia's interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment on Navalny and Gudkov's detention.

Obukhov said Gudkov, a former MP who challenged pro-Kremlin initiatives, had been detained as he walked out of a shop near his home on Sunday, where he had been buying food for the protesters still being held.

Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition figure, has served several stints in jail in recent years for organising anti-government demonstrations.

The European Court of Human Rights last year ruled that Russia's arrests and detention of Navalny in 2012 and 2014 were politically-motivated and breached his human rights, a ruling Moscow called questionable.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, currently serving time in jail for calling for unauthorised protests, was hospitalised after suffering an acute allergic reaction on Sunday, his spokeswoman said.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, currently serving time in jail for calling for unauthorised protests, was hospitalised after suffering an acute allergic reaction on Sunday, his spokeswoman said. Navalny was jailed this week for 30 days for calling for an unauthorised march to protest against the exclusion of several opposition candidates from a local election later this year. Authorities say the opposition candidates were barred because they failed to collect enough genuine signatures backing them, an allegation they reject as false. Police rounded up more than 1,000 people in the Russian capital at the march on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns in recent years against the opposition. Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokeswoman, wrote on Twitter that he had been hospitalised on Sunday morning with "severe swelling of the face and skin redness." She said the cause of Navalny's allergic reaction was unknown and that he had never had suffered from such reactions in the past. The Moscow hospital where Navalny's spokeswoman said he was being treated could not immediately be reached for comment. In a separate incident on Sunday, Russian activist Dmitry Gudkov, who was among the opposition candidates barred from running in local elections this year, said he was detained and taken to a Moscow police station. The reason for Gudkov's detention was not immediately clear, his spokesman Alexei Obukhov told Reuters. Russia's interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment on Navalny and Gudkov's detention. Obukhov said Gudkov, a former MP who challenged pro-Kremlin initiatives, had been detained as he walked out of a shop near his home on Sunday, where he had been buying food for the protesters still being held. Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition figure, has served several stints in jail in recent years for organising anti-government demonstrations. The European Court of Human Rights last year ruled that Russia's arrests and detention of Navalny in 2012 and 2014 were politically-motivated and breached his human rights, a ruling Moscow called questionable.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny hospitalised for allergic reaction

Russian police arrested dozens of people as they gathered at Moscow city hall Saturday to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-plans-protest-demanding-fair-elections-despite-arrests-238824">demand free and fair elections</a>, an AFP journalist said, following a crackdown on the opposition.&nbsp;

Thousands of Russians had vowed to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-police-detain-at-least-94-including-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-at-moscow-journalist-protest-226536"> take to the streets </a>of the capital after authorities refused to allow opposition and independent candidates to stand for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-over-20000-rally-in-moscow-as-election-anger-boils-over-237366">Moscow</a>'s city council in September.&nbsp;

Investigators raided the homes and headquarters of several disqualified candidates in the run-up to the protest, while top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was jailed for 30 days for calling for the demonstration.&nbsp;

Other leading opposition figures and would-be candidates were arrested in the hours leading up to the event.

The Saturday protest is the latest in a series of rallies over the local election, which comes amid declining living standards and a fall in President Vladimir Putin's approval ratings.

Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's 20 years in power.

Security was tight in central Moscow on Saturday and an AFP journalist said at least 50 people had been arrested before the planned start of the demonstration at two pm local time (1100 GMT).&nbsp;

Protest monitoring organisations reported dozens more arrests.

Politician and disqualified candidate Dmitry Gudkov was arrested shortly before the march. Earlier he had said the future of the country was at stake.

"If we lose now, elections will cease to exist as a political instrument," he said.&nbsp;

"What we're talking about is whether it's legal to participate in politics today in Russia, we're talking about the country we're going to live in."

Elena Rastovka, a 68-year-old pensioner at the demonstration, told AFP: "I've been afraid all my life, but enough is enough. If we stay at home nothing will change.

"Authorities arrest people who want to challenge them. Look at what they're doing -- the authorities do not like the people."

Navalny ally Ivan Zhdanov said he had been arrested shortly ahead of the demonstration, while barred candidate Ilya Yashin announced he was detained in the early hours of Saturday morning following a raid on his home.

- 'Security threat' -

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobaynin called the unauthorised protest a "security threat", adding that "order will be ensured according to the relevant laws".&nbsp;

Last weekend 22,000 people turned up for a protest in Moscow, the largest such demonstration in years, after election authorities refused to register dozens of candidates.

While pro-Kremlin candidates enjoy the support of the state, independent candidates say they have been made to jump through countless hoops in order to get on the ballot.

Rejected candidate Lyubov Sobol this week launched a hunger strike in protest.&nbsp;

On Thursday, the 31-year-old demanded officials review her documents and came to the offices of the Moscow election commission to continue her strike.

But security agents took her out of the building on the sofa she was sitting on.

After activists and ordinary Muscovites staged pickets, including outside the local election commission building, investigators said they were launching a criminal probe into obstructing the work of election officials.&nbsp;

If found guilty, organisers risk up to five years in prison.

- ' Impossible not to protest' -

Nearly 11,000 people indicated interest in the rally on Facebook.

Police asked media to notify the authorities if they planned to cover the protest and urged Russians to skip the rally altogether.

Viktoria Popova, a 30-year-old illustrator, said she could not miss it.&nbsp;

"It is impossible not to come, it's impossible to feel powerless, unable to change anything," she told AFP.

"Who would have thought it would become important to take part in such a bizarre and boring affair as the Moscow parliament election?"

Russian police arrested dozens of people as they gathered at Moscow city hall Saturday to demand free and fair elections, an AFP journalist said, following a crackdown on the opposition.

Russian police arrested dozens of people as they gathered at Moscow city hall Saturday to demand free and fair elections, an AFP journalist said, following a crackdown on the opposition. Thousands of Russians had vowed to take to the streets of the capital after authorities refused to allow opposition and independent candidates to stand for Moscow's city council in September. Investigators raided the homes and headquarters of several disqualified candidates in the run-up to the protest, while top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was jailed for 30 days for calling for the demonstration. Other leading opposition figures and would-be candidates were arrested in the hours leading up to the event. The Saturday protest is the latest in a series of rallies over the local election, which comes amid declining living standards and a fall in President Vladimir Putin's approval ratings. Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's 20 years in power. Security was tight in central Moscow on Saturday and an AFP journalist said at least 50 people had been arrested before the planned start of the demonstration at two pm local time (1100 GMT). Protest monitoring organisations reported dozens more arrests. Politician and disqualified candidate Dmitry Gudkov was arrested shortly before the march. Earlier he had said the future of the country was at stake. "If we lose now, elections will cease to exist as a political instrument," he said. "What we're talking about is whether it's legal to participate in politics today in Russia, we're talking about the country we're going to live in." Elena Rastovka, a 68-year-old pensioner at the demonstration, told AFP: "I've been afraid all my life, but enough is enough. If we stay at home nothing will change. "Authorities arrest people who want to challenge them. Look at what they're doing -- the authorities do not like the people." Navalny ally Ivan Zhdanov said he had been arrested shortly ahead of the demonstration, while barred candidate Ilya Yashin announced he was detained in the early hours of Saturday morning following a raid on his home. - 'Security threat' - Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobaynin called the unauthorised protest a "security threat", adding that "order will be ensured according to the relevant laws". Last weekend 22,000 people turned up for a protest in Moscow, the largest such demonstration in years, after election authorities refused to register dozens of candidates. While pro-Kremlin candidates enjoy the support of the state, independent candidates say they have been made to jump through countless hoops in order to get on the ballot. Rejected candidate Lyubov Sobol this week launched a hunger strike in protest. On Thursday, the 31-year-old demanded officials review her documents and came to the offices of the Moscow election commission to continue her strike. But security agents took her out of the building on the sofa she was sitting on. After activists and ordinary Muscovites staged pickets, including outside the local election commission building, investigators said they were launching a criminal probe into obstructing the work of election officials. If found guilty, organisers risk up to five years in prison. - ' Impossible not to protest' - Nearly 11,000 people indicated interest in the rally on Facebook. Police asked media to notify the authorities if they planned to cover the protest and urged Russians to skip the rally altogether. Viktoria Popova, a 30-year-old illustrator, said she could not miss it. "It is impossible not to come, it's impossible to feel powerless, unable to change anything," she told AFP. "Who would have thought it would become important to take part in such a bizarre and boring affair as the Moscow parliament election?"

Dozens arrested at Moscow protest after opposition crackdown

Thousands of Russians say they will take to the streets of Moscow on Saturday to demand fair local elections, despite a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-police-detain-at-least-94-including-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-at-moscow-journalist-protest-226536">police crackdown on the opposition </a>that has seen top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny jailed.

The planned rally is the latest in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-over-20000-rally-in-moscow-as-election-anger-boils-over-237366">series of protests</a> over authorities' refusal to allow dozens of opposition candidates to stand for election to Moscow's city council in September.

Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over President Vladimir Putin's 20 years in power.

Investigators raided the homes and headquarters of several disqualified candidates in the run-up to the protest, while Navalny was jailed for 30 days for calling for the demonstration.&nbsp;

Security was tight in central Moscow on Saturday and six people were arrested in front of city hall hours before the protest started, according to OVD-Info, which monitors arrests during demonstrations.

Politician and would-be candidate Dmitry Gudkov, whose home was raided on Wednesday, said the future of the country was at stake.

"If we lose now, elections will cease to exist as a political instrument," he said.&nbsp;

"What we're talking about is whether it's legal to participate in politics today in Russia, we're talking about the country we're going to live in."

Navalny ally Ivan Zhdanov said on Twitter he had been arrested shortly ahead of the demonstration on Saturday.&nbsp;

Barred candidate Ilya Yashin said in the early hours of Saturday morning he had also been arrested following a raid on his home.

'Security threat'

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobaynin called the unauthorised protest a "security threat", adding that "order will be ensured according to the relevant laws".&nbsp;

Officials told Russia's TASS news agency they would be looking for people who had avoided military service at the rally.&nbsp;

Last weekend 22,000 people turned up for a protest in Moscow, the largest such demonstration in years, after election authorities refused to register dozens of candidates.

A handful of people were detained at that protest, though hundreds were arrested last month at a demonstration in Moscow against police abuses.

While pro-Kremlin candidates enjoy the support of the state, independent candidates say they have been made to jump through countless hoops in order to get on the ballot.

Rejected candidate Lyubov Sobol this week launched a hunger strike in protest.&nbsp;

On Thursday, the 31-year-old demanded officials review her documents and came to the offices of the Moscow election commission to continue her strike.

But security agents took her out of the building on the sofa she was sitting on.

After activists and ordinary Muscovites staged pickets, including outside the local election commission building, investigators said they were launching a criminal probe into obstructing the work of election officials.&nbsp;

If found guilty, organisers risk up to five years in prison.

'Absurdities become norm'

Ahead of Saturday's rally, Russian business daily Vedomosti described the actions of local authorities as Orwellian.

"Over the past days, absurdities have become the norm," the newspaper said.

Nearly 11,000 people indicated interest in the rally on Facebook, which comes amid declining living standards and falling approval ratings for Putin.

Police asked media to notify the authorities if they planned to cover the protest and urged Russians to skip the rally altogether.

Viktoria Popova, a 30-year-old illustrator, said she could not miss it.&nbsp;

"It is impossible not to come, it's impossible to feel powerless, unable to change anything," she told AFP.

"Who would have thought it would become important to take part in such a bizarre and boring affair as the Moscow parliament election?"

Thousands of Russians say they will take to the streets of Moscow on Saturday to demand fair local elections, despite a police crackdown on the opposition that has seen top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny jailed.

Thousands of Russians say they will take to the streets of Moscow on Saturday to demand fair local elections, despite a police crackdown on the opposition that has seen top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny jailed. The planned rally is the latest in a series of protests over authorities' refusal to allow dozens of opposition candidates to stand for election to Moscow's city council in September. Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over President Vladimir Putin's 20 years in power. Investigators raided the homes and headquarters of several disqualified candidates in the run-up to the protest, while Navalny was jailed for 30 days for calling for the demonstration. Security was tight in central Moscow on Saturday and six people were arrested in front of city hall hours before the protest started, according to OVD-Info, which monitors arrests during demonstrations. Politician and would-be candidate Dmitry Gudkov, whose home was raided on Wednesday, said the future of the country was at stake. "If we lose now, elections will cease to exist as a political instrument," he said. "What we're talking about is whether it's legal to participate in politics today in Russia, we're talking about the country we're going to live in." Navalny ally Ivan Zhdanov said on Twitter he had been arrested shortly ahead of the demonstration on Saturday. Barred candidate Ilya Yashin said in the early hours of Saturday morning he had also been arrested following a raid on his home. 'Security threat' Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobaynin called the unauthorised protest a "security threat", adding that "order will be ensured according to the relevant laws". Officials told Russia's TASS news agency they would be looking for people who had avoided military service at the rally. Last weekend 22,000 people turned up for a protest in Moscow, the largest such demonstration in years, after election authorities refused to register dozens of candidates. A handful of people were detained at that protest, though hundreds were arrested last month at a demonstration in Moscow against police abuses. While pro-Kremlin candidates enjoy the support of the state, independent candidates say they have been made to jump through countless hoops in order to get on the ballot. Rejected candidate Lyubov Sobol this week launched a hunger strike in protest. On Thursday, the 31-year-old demanded officials review her documents and came to the offices of the Moscow election commission to continue her strike. But security agents took her out of the building on the sofa she was sitting on. After activists and ordinary Muscovites staged pickets, including outside the local election commission building, investigators said they were launching a criminal probe into obstructing the work of election officials. If found guilty, organisers risk up to five years in prison. 'Absurdities become norm' Ahead of Saturday's rally, Russian business daily Vedomosti described the actions of local authorities as Orwellian. "Over the past days, absurdities have become the norm," the newspaper said. Nearly 11,000 people indicated interest in the rally on Facebook, which comes amid declining living standards and falling approval ratings for Putin. Police asked media to notify the authorities if they planned to cover the protest and urged Russians to skip the rally altogether. Viktoria Popova, a 30-year-old illustrator, said she could not miss it. "It is impossible not to come, it's impossible to feel powerless, unable to change anything," she told AFP. "Who would have thought it would become important to take part in such a bizarre and boring affair as the Moscow parliament election?"

Russian opposition plans protest demanding fair elections despite arrests

Police in Moscow detained more than 25 protestors at a rally to demonstrate against a possible ban on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-police-detain-at-least-94-including-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-at-moscow-journalist-protest-226536">opposition candidates</a> running in elections to the Russian capital's parliament.

Opposition leaders cried foul after Moscow's election commission said most of their sponsored candidates failed to secure the required number of signatures to participate in the election.

The commission has yet to officially announce the list of legitimate candidates for the Sept. 8 vote to the 45-seat parliament.

Ilya Yashin, a critic of President Vladimir Putin, and several other activists had called for a meeting with the voters on Sunday, an event, which transformed into a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-opposition-leader-navalny-jailed-1500-arrested-after-wave-of-protests-16759">march to the Moscow city</a> mayor office and then to the headquarters of the election commission.

Yashin said earlier on Sunday the election commission's allegation that many of the signatures supporting him were rigged was an "absolute fraud".

A police spokesman said more than 25 people, including some organisers of the protest, were detained in the centre of Moscow. "They have not responded to the police's command to stop their actions. They are being bussed to police stations for further inquiries," a spokesman said.

The participants shouted anti-government and anti-Putin slogans, urging the authorities to register their candidates.

There is a history of anti-Kremlin activists being denied access to run for the parliament seats or presidential office.

Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition leader, was barred from running in the 2018 presidential election after officials ruled he was ineligible to take part due to a suspended prison sentence.

The Moscow city election commission was not available for comment on Sunday.

Police in Moscow detained more than 25 protestors at a rally to demonstrate against a possible ban on opposition candidates running in elections to the Russian capital's parliament.

Police in Moscow detained more than 25 protestors at a rally to demonstrate against a possible ban on opposition candidates running in elections to the Russian capital's parliament. Opposition leaders cried foul after Moscow's election commission said most of their sponsored candidates failed to secure the required number of signatures to participate in the election. The commission has yet to officially announce the list of legitimate candidates for the Sept. 8 vote to the 45-seat parliament. Ilya Yashin, a critic of President Vladimir Putin, and several other activists had called for a meeting with the voters on Sunday, an event, which transformed into a march to the Moscow city mayor office and then to the headquarters of the election commission. Yashin said earlier on Sunday the election commission's allegation that many of the signatures supporting him were rigged was an "absolute fraud". A police spokesman said more than 25 people, including some organisers of the protest, were detained in the centre of Moscow. "They have not responded to the police's command to stop their actions. They are being bussed to police stations for further inquiries," a spokesman said. The participants shouted anti-government and anti-Putin slogans, urging the authorities to register their candidates. There is a history of anti-Kremlin activists being denied access to run for the parliament seats or presidential office. Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition leader, was barred from running in the 2018 presidential election after officials ruled he was ineligible to take part due to a suspended prison sentence. The Moscow city election commission was not available for comment on Sunday.

Dozens detained in Moscow as opposition demands to be included in vote

Russian police detained more than 400 people, including opposition politician <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-police-detain-at-least-94-including-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-at-moscow-journalist-protest-226536">Alexei Navalny</a>, at a protest in Moscow on Wednesday calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist.

Police abruptly dropped drug charges a day earlier against investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who said he was targeted over his reporting.

Golunov, 36, known for exposing corruption among Moscow city officials, was detained by police last Thursday and accused of dealing drugs, an allegation he denied.

The crude way supporters said Golunov was set up and detained triggered an unusual show of media unity and an uncharacteristically swift reversal from authorities nervous about social unrest at a time when President Vladimir Putin already faces disquiet over living standards.

The authorities had hoped freeing Golunov and promising punishment for those who allegedly framed him would appease his supporters, but they decided to go ahead with a protest on Wednesday, a public holiday in Russia, regardless.

Reuters witnesses said well over 1,000 people marched through central Moscow, chanting "Russia will be free", "Russia without Putin" and "Down with the Tsar" as police warned them not to break the law and blocked access to certain streets.

Some of the protesters wore white T-shirts saying "I am/We are Ivan Golunov," the same slogan as a front page headline carried by Russia's three leading daily newspapers on Monday.

In an unexpected twist, a young woman wearing such a T-shirt managed to get a front-row seat at a ceremony in the Kremlin at which President Vladimir Putin was handing out state awards, official footage of the event showed. The ceremony was taking place at the same time as the protest in the city.

OVD-Info, a monitoring group, said police had detained over 400 people. It said police had started to release some of them without charge while drawing up charges against others.

Police said earlier they had detained over 200 people.

Many of the marchers and those forcefully detained by riot police were prominent Russian journalists and activists.

"We came to show the authorities that we have consolidated, that we are united," said Vsevolod, 24. "We demand that hundreds of thousands of (criminal) cases where people are sitting in prison unfairly now be reviewed."

The authorities had warned protesters that their demonstration would be illegal and could threaten public safety.

Under Russian law, the time and place of protests involving more than one person needs to be agreed with the authorities in advance. Organisers of Wednesday's event had demanded that Moscow city officials negotiate those terms with them live on air during a TV broadcast, a demand they said officials refused.

A Reuters witness saw at least three police officers bundle opposition politician Alexei Navalny into a truck.

Kira Yarmysh, his spokeswoman, said on Twitter that Navalny was accused of breaking Russia's protest laws, something he has been repeatedly found guilty of, and faced up to 30 days in jail.

Navalny, who said police had accused him of organising the march, said on Twitter he had been glad to march "among honest people".

One protester, Ivan, 28, explained why marchers had defied the police. "The freeing of Golunov was not a victory. It was a tactical move by the authorities to prevent disorder breaking out today. But we came here anyway."

Russian police detained more than 400 people, including opposition politician Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow on Wednesday calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist.

Russian police detained more than 400 people, including opposition politician Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow on Wednesday calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist. Police abruptly dropped drug charges a day earlier against investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who said he was targeted over his reporting. Golunov, 36, known for exposing corruption among Moscow city officials, was detained by police last Thursday and accused of dealing drugs, an allegation he denied. The crude way supporters said Golunov was set up and detained triggered an unusual show of media unity and an uncharacteristically swift reversal from authorities nervous about social unrest at a time when President Vladimir Putin already faces disquiet over living standards. The authorities had hoped freeing Golunov and promising punishment for those who allegedly framed him would appease his supporters, but they decided to go ahead with a protest on Wednesday, a public holiday in Russia, regardless. Reuters witnesses said well over 1,000 people marched through central Moscow, chanting "Russia will be free", "Russia without Putin" and "Down with the Tsar" as police warned them not to break the law and blocked access to certain streets. Some of the protesters wore white T-shirts saying "I am/We are Ivan Golunov," the same slogan as a front page headline carried by Russia's three leading daily newspapers on Monday. In an unexpected twist, a young woman wearing such a T-shirt managed to get a front-row seat at a ceremony in the Kremlin at which President Vladimir Putin was handing out state awards, official footage of the event showed. The ceremony was taking place at the same time as the protest in the city. OVD-Info, a monitoring group, said police had detained over 400 people. It said police had started to release some of them without charge while drawing up charges against others. Police said earlier they had detained over 200 people. Many of the marchers and those forcefully detained by riot police were prominent Russian journalists and activists. "We came to show the authorities that we have consolidated, that we are united," said Vsevolod, 24. "We demand that hundreds of thousands of (criminal) cases where people are sitting in prison unfairly now be reviewed." The authorities had warned protesters that their demonstration would be illegal and could threaten public safety. Under Russian law, the time and place of protests involving more than one person needs to be agreed with the authorities in advance. Organisers of Wednesday's event had demanded that Moscow city officials negotiate those terms with them live on air during a TV broadcast, a demand they said officials refused. A Reuters witness saw at least three police officers bundle opposition politician Alexei Navalny into a truck. Kira Yarmysh, his spokeswoman, said on Twitter that Navalny was accused of breaking Russia's protest laws, something he has been repeatedly found guilty of, and faced up to 30 days in jail. Navalny, who said police had accused him of organising the march, said on Twitter he had been glad to march "among honest people". One protester, Ivan, 28, explained why marchers had defied the police. "The freeing of Golunov was not a victory. It was a tactical move by the authorities to prevent disorder breaking out today. But we came here anyway."

Russian police detain more than 400 at protest over journalist

Russian police detained at least 94 people on Wednesday, including opposition politician <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-detained-in-moscow-report-161502">Alexei Navalny</a>, at a protest in Moscow calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist, monitors said.

Police abruptly dropped drugs charges a day earlier against journalist Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who said he was framed for his reporting.

Golunov, a 36-year-old journalist known for exposing corruption among Moscow city officials, was detained by police last Thursday and accused of dealing drugs, an allegation he flatly denied.

The crude way supporters said Golunov was set up and detained triggered an unusual show of media unity and an uncharacteristically swift reversal from authorities nervous about social unrest at a time when President Vladimir Putin already faces disquiet over living standards.

The authorities had hoped freeing Golunov and promising punishment for those who allegedly framed him would appease his supporters' anger, but his colleagues decided to go ahead with a protest on Wednesday, a public holiday in Russia, regardless.

The authorities had warned them in advance that the demonstration would be illegal and could pose a risk to public safety.

Under Russian law, the time and place of protests involving more than one person needs to be agreed with the authorities in advance. Organisers of Wednesday's event had demanded that Moscow city officials negotiate those terms with them during a live broadcast, something officials refused to do.

OVD-Info, a monitoring group, said police had detained at least 94 people, some of them by force.

A Reuters witness saw at least three police officers bundle opposition politician Alexei Navalny into a truck.

Russian police detained at least 94 people on Wednesday, including opposition politician Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist, monitors said.

Russian police detained at least 94 people on Wednesday, including opposition politician Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist, monitors said. Police abruptly dropped drugs charges a day earlier against journalist Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who said he was framed for his reporting. Golunov, a 36-year-old journalist known for exposing corruption among Moscow city officials, was detained by police last Thursday and accused of dealing drugs, an allegation he flatly denied. The crude way supporters said Golunov was set up and detained triggered an unusual show of media unity and an uncharacteristically swift reversal from authorities nervous about social unrest at a time when President Vladimir Putin already faces disquiet over living standards. The authorities had hoped freeing Golunov and promising punishment for those who allegedly framed him would appease his supporters' anger, but his colleagues decided to go ahead with a protest on Wednesday, a public holiday in Russia, regardless. The authorities had warned them in advance that the demonstration would be illegal and could pose a risk to public safety. Under Russian law, the time and place of protests involving more than one person needs to be agreed with the authorities in advance. Organisers of Wednesday's event had demanded that Moscow city officials negotiate those terms with them during a live broadcast, something officials refused to do. OVD-Info, a monitoring group, said police had detained at least 94 people, some of them by force. A Reuters witness saw at least three police officers bundle opposition politician Alexei Navalny into a truck.

Russian police detain at least 94 including opposition leader Alexei Navalny at Moscow journalist protest

Russia: 10,000 people rally against land swap deal in North Caucasus

Hundreds of people including top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny were arrested on Sunday as thousands of Russians defied bans to stage protests across the country against corruption.

Navalny had called for the marches after publishing a detailed report this month accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of controlling a property empire through a shadowy network of nonprofit organisations.&nbsp;

The report has been viewed over 11 million times on YouTube, but so far Medvedev has made no comment on the claims.

Sunday&#39;s march in Moscow was one of the biggest unauthorised demonstrations in recent years, with police putting turnout at 7,000-8,000 people.

Police detained Navalny, who has announced plans to run for president in the 2018 election, as he was walking to the protest, putting him in a police minibus.

The crowd briefly tried to block it from driving off, shouting &quot;Shame!&quot; and &quot;Let him out!&quot;

&quot;Guys, I am all right, go on along Tverskaya,&quot; Navalny tweeted from the van.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
Expect no criticism from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash">#Trump</a> as arrests begin during &#39;illegal&#39; mass protests against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash">#Putin</a>&#39;s corrupt <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash">#Russia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/trumprussia?src=hash">#trumprussia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/theresistance?src=hash">#theresistance</a> <a href="https://t.co/4TQCb7yefY">pic.twitter.com/4TQCb7yefY</a>
&mdash; Jonathan Beeley (@foreignpolicy77) <a href="https://twitter.com/foreignpolicy77/status/845968290736492545">March 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Police said about 500 people had been arrested in Moscow, while OVD-Info, a website that monitors the detention of activists, said at least 700 had been detained, as well as dozens in other cities.

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I took a photo of police detaining a guy at <a href="https://twitter.com/navalny">@navalny</a> protest so they detained me as well even though I repeatedly said I was a journalist <a href="https://t.co/vbsZF7CTtl">pic.twitter.com/vbsZF7CTtl</a>
&mdash; Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASLuhn/status/845964702861725696">March 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The Interfax news agency said 130 people were arrested in Saint Petersburg, where about 4,000 people gathered in the city centre.

&quot;We&#39;re tired of the lies, we have to do something,&quot; Sergei Timofeyev, a 23-year-old protester in Saint Petersburg, told AFP.

A spokeswoman for Navalny&#39;s Anti-corruption Foundation (FBK) said on Twitter than he would be held overnight before being brought before a judge on Monday.

He will face charges of calling a rally that disrupted public order, and could be held for up to 15 days.

From his cell, Navalny posted on Twitter that he was &quot;proud&quot; of the protesters and said the mass detentions were &quot;understandable&quot;.

&quot;The thieves defend themselves this way. But you cannot arrest everyone who is against corruption. There are millions of us,&quot; he wrote.

&nbsp;

&#39;They steal and lie&#39;

Thousands of people filled&nbsp;central Pushkin Square, some shouting &quot;Russia without Putin&quot;, referring to President Vladimir Putin. Some climbed on to lamp posts and the monument to poet Alexander Pushkin, shouting &quot;impeachment!&quot;

Dozens of police vans and rows of riot officers were lined up as a police helicopter hovered overhead.

&quot;We have all seen the movie, it gives specific examples of corruption, and there has been no reaction,&quot; Nikolai Moisey, a 26-year-old factory worker, said of the claims against Medvedev.

&quot;They steal and they lie but still people will be patient to the end. The protest is a first push for people to start acting.&quot;

Police officers moved to detain protesters and clear the square, with some using truncheons and pepper spray to disperse the crowd, AFP correspondents said.

Police also searched FBK offices over alleged incitement to hatred, and &quot;Everyone was detained and brought to the police,&quot; the organisation&#39;s spokeswoman Kira Iarmych said.

&nbsp;

&#39;99 cities&#39;

Despite the dramatic scenes in Moscow, state TV did not cover the protests, instead showing soap operas and nature films.

&quot;The whole country is tired of corruption on such a scale,&quot; 50-year-old Natalia Demidova said. &quot;Medvedev should be fired once such exposes come to light.&quot;

Elsewhere, about 2,000 gathered in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, carrying signs such as &quot;No to corruption,&quot; according to local news website Sib.fm.

Some held up images of yellow rubber ducks, following reports that Medvedev has a special house for a duck on one of his properties.

Local media estimated about 1,500 people turned out in each of the Siberian cities of Krasnoyarsk and Omsk.

The Russian constitution allows public gatherings, but recent laws have criminalised protests unauthorised by city authorities, who frequently refuse to grant permission for rallies by Kremlin critics.

Navalny said on his website that 99 Russian cities planned to protest, but that in 72 of them the local authorities did not give permission, citing reasons such as street cleaning, a bell-ringing concert and rival events by various pro-Kremlin groups.

The authorities had also pressured students not to attend, with some cities even scheduling exams for Sunday, according to reports.

In the far-eastern city of Vladivostok, about 700 people nonetheless turned up, local website Prima Media said, and a dozen people were detained by the national guard.

In the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,000 people turned up, according to local Znak.com website.

Navalny, a 40-year-old lawyer by training announced plans to run for the presidency after he won a surprise 27 per cent of the vote in the Moscow mayoral election in 2013.

But he has been the subject of several legal prosecutions in recent years, and in February he was found guilty of embezzlement and given a five-year suspended sentence which could make him ineligible to run in next year&#39;s vote.

(AFP)

Police detained Alexei Navalny, a major Putin critic, who has announced plans to run for president in the 2018 election

Hundreds of people including top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny were arrested on Sunday as thousands of Russians defied bans to stage protests across the country against corruption. Navalny had called for the marches after publishing a detailed report this month accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of controlling a property empire through a shadowy network of nonprofit organisations. The report has been viewed over 11 million times on YouTube, but so far Medvedev has made no comment on the claims. Sunday's march in Moscow was one of the biggest unauthorised demonstrations in recent years, with police putting turnout at 7,000-8,000 people. Police detained Navalny, who has announced plans to run for president in the 2018 election, as he was walking to the protest, putting him in a police minibus. The crowd briefly tried to block it from driving off, shouting "Shame!" and "Let him out!" "Guys, I am all right, go on along Tverskaya," Navalny tweeted from the van. Expect no criticism from #Trump as arrests begin during 'illegal' mass protests against #Putin's corrupt #Russia #trumprussia #theresistance pic.twitter.com/4TQCb7yefY — Jonathan Beeley (@foreignpolicy77) March 26, 2017 × Police said about 500 people had been arrested in Moscow, while OVD-Info, a website that monitors the detention of activists, said at least 700 had been detained, as well as dozens in other cities. I took a photo of police detaining a guy at @navalny protest so they detained me as well even though I repeatedly said I was a journalist pic.twitter.com/vbsZF7CTtl — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) March 26, 2017 × The Interfax news agency said 130 people were arrested in Saint Petersburg, where about 4,000 people gathered in the city centre. "We're tired of the lies, we have to do something," Sergei Timofeyev, a 23-year-old protester in Saint Petersburg, told AFP. A spokeswoman for Navalny's Anti-corruption Foundation (FBK) said on Twitter than he would be held overnight before being brought before a judge on Monday. He will face charges of calling a rally that disrupted public order, and could be held for up to 15 days. From his cell, Navalny posted on Twitter that he was "proud" of the protesters and said the mass detentions were "understandable". "The thieves defend themselves this way. But you cannot arrest everyone who is against corruption. There are millions of us," he wrote. 'They steal and lie' Thousands of people filled central Pushkin Square, some shouting "Russia without Putin", referring to President Vladimir Putin. Some climbed on to lamp posts and the monument to poet Alexander Pushkin, shouting "impeachment!" Dozens of police vans and rows of riot officers were lined up as a police helicopter hovered overhead. "We have all seen the movie, it gives specific examples of corruption, and there has been no reaction," Nikolai Moisey, a 26-year-old factory worker, said of the claims against Medvedev. "They steal and they lie but still people will be patient to the end. The protest is a first push for people to start acting." Police officers moved to detain protesters and clear the square, with some using truncheons and pepper spray to disperse the crowd, AFP correspondents said. Police also searched FBK offices over alleged incitement to hatred, and "Everyone was detained and brought to the police," the organisation's spokeswoman Kira Iarmych said. '99 cities' Despite the dramatic scenes in Moscow, state TV did not cover the protests, instead showing soap operas and nature films. "The whole country is tired of corruption on such a scale," 50-year-old Natalia Demidova said. "Medvedev should be fired once such exposes come to light." Elsewhere, about 2,000 gathered in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, carrying signs such as "No to corruption," according to local news website Sib.fm. Some held up images of yellow rubber ducks, following reports that Medvedev has a special house for a duck on one of his properties. Local media estimated about 1,500 people turned out in each of the Siberian cities of Krasnoyarsk and Omsk. The Russian constitution allows public gatherings, but recent laws have criminalised protests unauthorised by city authorities, who frequently refuse to grant permission for rallies by Kremlin critics. Navalny said on his website that 99 Russian cities planned to protest, but that in 72 of them the local authorities did not give permission, citing reasons such as street cleaning, a bell-ringing concert and rival events by various pro-Kremlin groups. The authorities had also pressured students not to attend, with some cities even scheduling exams for Sunday, according to reports. In the far-eastern city of Vladivostok, about 700 people nonetheless turned up, local website Prima Media said, and a dozen people were detained by the national guard. In the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,000 people turned up, according to local Znak.com website. Navalny, a 40-year-old lawyer by training announced plans to run for the presidency after he won a surprise 27 per cent of the vote in the Moscow mayoral election in 2013. But he has been the subject of several legal prosecutions in recent years, and in February he was found guilty of embezzlement and given a five-year suspended sentence which could make him ineligible to run in next year's vote. (AFP)

Russian opposition leader, hundreds of others arrested at Moscow protest

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