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According to the civil rights organization Ovd-Info, 2501 protesters were arrested during protests in Russia over the release of Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny, including 855 in Moscow and 327 in St. Petersburg. Not so many people have been arrested in one day of demonstration during nationwide protests in ten years. The organization spoke of protests in almost 70 cities. The Reuters news agency had estimated the number of protesters in the capital at at least 40,000, while the Russian Interior Ministry said it was 4,000.
Navalny was arrested in Moscow last Sunday immediately after his return from Germany. The following day, he was sentenced to 30 days in prison in a controversial emergency procedure. The 44-year-old is said to have violated information requirements in previous criminal proceedings while recovering from a poison attack in Germany. He faces more trials and many years in prison. Navalny had asked his followers to protest.
