Russia: Hundreds arrested during nationwide protests Oct. 7 /update 2

Event

According to media reports, more than 260 opposition supporters were arrested during demonstrations against President Vladimir Putin held across the country on Saturday, October 7. The most significant protests took place in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where violence was reported as security forces dispersed crowds. In St. Petersburg, riot police responded with force to halt 3,000 marchers; a number of protesters were reportedly injured during the crackdown by police, and more than 60 were detained. In Moscow, around 1,000 demonstrators gathered in Pushkin Square and were blocked by police from marching towards the Kremlin; only three people were reportedly arrested. In the city of Yekaterinburg, 24 people were detained.

Context

Though the demonstrations were well attended, the numbers were significantly fewer than during similar anti-Putin rallied held in March and June this year. Protesters are calling for opposition political figure Aleksei Navalny to be released from jail. Navalny as sentenced to a 20-day term in jail on October 2 for allegedly calling for the unsanctioned protest in St. Petersburg. Navalny's campaign manager Leonid Volkov was also arrested on the same charges. Official authorization is required for all protests and other large public gatherings in Russia; police sometimes use force to disperse unauthorized demonstrations.

Navalny is a well-known anti-corruption activist, and announced last year that he would run for president in 2018. However, Russia's electoral commission barred him from officially running due to previous arrests. Despite this, Navalny has continued to campaign in recent weeks, holding rallies across the country that have drawn thousands of people.

Advice

Individuals present in Russia are advised to avoid all demonstrations as violence can break out with little to no warning. Travelers should be aware that large public gatherings in Europe have been targeted by terrorist attacks in recent years; remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.​