Russian police on Saturday arrested more than 600 protesters who came to Moscow for free elections despite mounting crackdowns on the opposition in recent days.
Less than a week after a rally unprecedented since the movement that accompanied the return of Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin, the police have this time no chance for the protesters to participate in this new demonstration, unauthorized, in front of the city hall of the Russian capital. The opposition denounces the rejection of independent candidatures in the local elections of September 8, which are difficult for candidates supporting power in a context of social discontent.
"We want free elections"
Mobilized in large numbers, the police massively arrested the protesters who flocked to the main avenue of Moscow, shouting "Shame" or "We want free elections" and pushed them manu militari out to the alleys around. An AFP journalist was able to see dozens of protesters arrested even before the start of the rally. The NGO OVD Info, specializing in the follow-up of the demonstrations, counted 648 arrests shortly after 18 hours in France.
Even before the rally, several opposition figures were arrested over the course of the morning such as Ilia Iachine, Liubov Sobol or Dmitry Gudkov who had said Friday that the stake exceeded the local elections. "It's a question of whether, in today's Russia, it is possible to legally do politics," he said. The homes and offices of several excluded candidates had been raided in advance and on Wednesday the number one opponent of the Kremlin Alexei Navalny had been sent back to prison for 30 days for "rules of protest" offenses.
These proceedings follow the opening of an investigation for "obstructing the work of the Electoral Commission" of Moscow during demonstrations in mid-July. They can result in sentences of up to five years in prison, recalling the significant sentences handed down during the 2011-2012 movement against Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency.
Amnesty International denounces "open attempt by authorities to intimidate opposition"
Fearing a "massive crackdown ahead," the NGO Amnesty International has criticized an "open and unhindered attempt by the Russian authorities to intimidate the opposition."
In advance of Saturday's rally, the Moscow police issued a warning to citizens and, unpublished, offered journalists covering the event to convey their identities, banning many arrests.