Arrested Kremlin supporters criticize Alexey Navalny preparing for a new round of anti-Russian protests on Sunday, despite police crackdown against Russia and strong warnings against taking part in the displays.
Navalny supporters have called for the new rallies across the country to call for the release of the opposition leader from the prison where he is awaiting trial, which is set to begin on February 2.
The 44-year-old was arrested on January 17 after flying back to Russia from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from zero agent poisoning. His arrest sparked nationwide protests in about 100 cities last week. Nearly 4,000 people were reported arrested.
Sunday’s rally in Moscow is expected to take place outside the headquarters of the Federal Security Service, Russia’s main security agency, said Navalny carried out the near-fatal poisoning attack on President Vladimir’s orders. Putin.
In an unprecedented move, police in the capital announced the closure of seven metro stations and said there would be limited pedestrian movement in the city center.
Moscow authorities are also said to be closing some restaurants and shops located in the city center and overland transportation will be canceled.
Irina Volk, a spokeswoman for Russia’s interior ministry, said the coronavirus pandemic was in a warning Saturday against protests. She said participants found to be against epidemiological rules could face criminal charges.
“Russia’s interior ministry units and other law enforcement will use all necessary measures to ensure public order at major incident sites. In addition, we warn that any violent actions against officers will be stopped or they will refuse to comply with their legal orders, ”she said.
“People who commit such illegal activities will be held and held accountable in accordance with the law.”
Brother of Navalny, lawyer of the arrest
The protests in Navalny’s support last week were the largest and most widespread seen in Russia in many years, and authorities have tried to prevent a recurrence. Police carried out a series of attacks this week at the apartments and offices of Navalny family, allies and an anti-corruption group.
His brother Oleg, Lyubov Sobol’s main supporter and three others were arrested two months ago on Friday, as part of a criminal investigation into allegations of coronavirus control at last weekend’s protests.
Sergei Smirnov, editor of the Mediazona news site founded by members of the punk collection Pussy Riot, was detained by police when he left his home Saturday.
The independent online media outcry said Smirnov was held on suspicion of taking part in a protest in Moscow last weekend, while the RIA news agency told is facing a court hearing on February 3. He could face up to 30 days in prison or a fine of up to 300,000 rubles or forced labor.
Authorities are also targeting online platforms, demanding that they delete posts with calls for rallies or fines. The country’s media watchdog said on Friday it had called representatives from several social networks, including Facebook and TikTok, for non-compliance.
In a message from jail Thursday, Navalny urged Russians to hold new rallies.
“Most are on our side. Let’s wake them up, ”he wrote from Matrosskaya Tishina from Moscow, a high-security detention center.
Navalny was detained because of his months spent in Germany against a sentencing sentence he received in a 2014 conviction for fraud and money laundering, a case he said as political revenge.
Russian authorities have also launched probes against Navalny allies both in Russia and abroad.
The Audit Committee said Friday that Leonid Volkov, head of the Navalny regional network and based in Lithuania, has been charged with allegations of forcing small people to enter rallies without permission.
On Saturday, investigators launched a fraud investigation into Ukrainian-based businessman Alexander Khomenko and funded Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation which publishes investigations into the wealth of Russia’s political elites.
Black sea palace
Their latest video report claiming Putin was unveiled as a $ 1.35bn building on the Black Sea coast, and received more than 100 million views on YouTube is becoming the largest survey. made by Navalny.
The Kremlin has denied that the Russian president owns the opulent building, which, according to Navalny, features an underground ice hockey field, a private casino and vineyards.
State television on Friday tried to protest against him claiming that the Black Sea building was a luxury palace by taking pictures of it under construction.
Billionaire Arkady Rotenberg – Putin ‘s former judo partner – said on Saturday that he owned the building and was building a hotel there.
“Now, it will no longer be a mystery, I am the winner,” Rotenberg said in a video published by the Mash Telegram channel. “It was a rather complicated facility, there were a lot of creditors, and I managed to be a beneficiary.”
He did not provide further financial details about the purchase or how it was funded.
Rotenberg was among Russian and business officials listed by the United States and other Western powers after Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014.