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| Rallies in support of Navalny held in several Russian cities | Rallies in support of Navalny held in several Russian cities |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Protests in support of the opposition activist Aleksey Navalny, recently placed under administrative arrest over repeated violations of the law on public assemblies, have been held in a number of Russian cities. | Protests in support of the opposition activist Aleksey Navalny, recently placed under administrative arrest over repeated violations of the law on public assemblies, have been held in a number of Russian cities. |
| The rallies were staged after Navalny called on his supporters to join an “all-Russian protest action” on Saturday, while he was still under administrative arrest. The demonstrators called on the Russian authorities to “free” the activist and allow him to run for president in the forthcoming 2018 elections. | The rallies were staged after Navalny called on his supporters to join an “all-Russian protest action” on Saturday, while he was still under administrative arrest. The demonstrators called on the Russian authorities to “free” the activist and allow him to run for president in the forthcoming 2018 elections. |
| However, Navalny is currently serving a suspended sentence after being convicted of embezzlement in 2014, and Russian law bans such people from registering as candidates in presidential polls. | However, Navalny is currently serving a suspended sentence after being convicted of embezzlement in 2014, and Russian law bans such people from registering as candidates in presidential polls. |
| READ MORE: Moscow court orders 20-day detention for Navalny for organizing several unsanctioned rallies | READ MORE: Moscow court orders 20-day detention for Navalny for organizing several unsanctioned rallies |
| Many demonstrations did not receive the approval of local authorities required by Russian law. Nevertheless, most of them ended peacefully without any major incidents, police said. | Many demonstrations did not receive the approval of local authorities required by Russian law. Nevertheless, most of them ended peacefully without any major incidents, police said. |
| In Moscow, about 700 people joined an unsanctioned rally in the center of the city, according to the Moscow police department. The protesters gathered at Pushkin Square and later marched to the building of the Russian State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament. | In Moscow, about 700 people joined an unsanctioned rally in the center of the city, according to the Moscow police department. The protesters gathered at Pushkin Square and later marched to the building of the Russian State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament. |
| The demonstrators then returned to Pushkin Square and dispersed, RIA news agency reports, adding that police repeatedly called on the protesters to end their action but took no measures to disperse the crowd by force. | The demonstrators then returned to Pushkin Square and dispersed, RIA news agency reports, adding that police repeatedly called on the protesters to end their action but took no measures to disperse the crowd by force. |
| Similar actions were held in the cities of St. Petersburg, Vladimir, Samara and Nizhniy Novgorod as well as in the Siberian cities of Yakutsk, Irkustsk and Novosibirsk. | Similar actions were held in the cities of St. Petersburg, Vladimir, Samara and Nizhniy Novgorod as well as in the Siberian cities of Yakutsk, Irkustsk and Novosibirsk. |
| Most of the rallies were attended by several dozen protesters. In Saratov, about a hundred people joined the protest. | Most of the rallies were attended by several dozen protesters. In Saratov, about a hundred people joined the protest. |
| The unsanctioned protest in St. Petersburg reportedly saw some arrests, judging by photos from the scene. However, the police have not yet released official figures. | The unsanctioned protest in St. Petersburg reportedly saw some arrests, judging by photos from the scene. However, the police have not yet released official figures. |
| Police also detained two members of Navalny’s campaign team in St. Petersburg for organizing unauthorized public events. They were found guilty of violating the law and disturbing public order by organizing unauthorized protests, and were each ordered to pay a fine of 20,000 rubles ($350), a local court’s press service said. | Police also detained two members of Navalny’s campaign team in St. Petersburg for organizing unauthorized public events. They were found guilty of violating the law and disturbing public order by organizing unauthorized protests, and were each ordered to pay a fine of 20,000 rubles ($350), a local court’s press service said. |
| Almost 2,000 people took part in the unsanctioned march in St. Petersburg, according to the local police department. Police also said that 38 protesters were detained over repeated disturbance of public order in defiance of police warnings. All those detained were subsequently released, with no charges. |