(GNB Desk): All over Russia on January 31, mass protests are held under the general slogan “Freedom to Navalny!” The protesters demand the release of the arrested politician Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader.
Police detained protesters in most cities, actions are held without approval, OVD-Info reported. OVD-Info, an independent site that monitors arrests published a list of detainees.
More than 4,400 people have already been detained across Russia, according to OVD-Info.
Yulia Navalnaya, the Kremlin critic’s wife, was among those detained.
Before her reported detention, Yulia Navalnaya posted a picture on Instagram showing her taking part in a protest in the area. “It’s great in Sokolniki today!” Navalnaya said in the caption, alongside a photo showing her, hands raised, followed by a column of people.
Supporters of Navalny, who’s now been in custody for two weeks, said they were planning protests in at least 120 cities across the vast country, starting at noon local time in each location.
Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, put out the call for nationwide protests after he was detained on arrival to Russia from Germany where he had been recuperating from a near-fatal attack caused by the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok. Learn more.
The opposition leader is currently in custody ahead of a court hearing on February 2 where a court will decide whether his suspended sentence on fraud charges in a 2014 embezzlement case should be converted into a jail term due to what Russian authorities say is the violation of the terms of his suspended sentence.
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