Previous nationwide protests in support of Navalny in January resulted in more than 11,000 arrests and at least seven lengthy prison sentences on charges of “violence” against the police.
Close allies of Navalny detained
Two close associates of the Kremlin critic were also detained hours before Wednesday’s protests were due to begin.
Lyubov Sobol, a close ally of Navalny, was removed from a taxi near a Moscow metro station on Wednesday morning by people in “uniform”, her lawyer said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, police arrested Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh near the entrance of her apartment building, according to her legal team. Her lawyer later tweeted to say that Yarmysh, who was already under house arrest with no internet, had been sentenced to 10 days in a detention center for posting an unauthorized tweet.
olice also searched the offices of Navalny’s organization in Yekaterinbrug and detained a Navalny-affiliated journalist in Khabarovsk.
EU criticises arrests
“The detention of supporters of Alexei Navalny in advance of planned protests in Russia today are deplorable,” said Charles Michel, President of the European Council.
“Authorities must respect the right to assembly,” he added on Twitter.
“I urge that the necessary and quality medical care be granted to Alexei Navalny and that he be released from prison.”
The Russian authorities also opened a case against Lyubov Sobol, a lawyer for Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). She has been told to attent court tomorrow and faces up to 30 days of administrative arrest or a fine of up to 300,000 rubles ($3,900).