More than 400 people arrested in March in support of journalist released in Moscow | Chronic

More than 400 people were arrested Wednesday during a march in Moscow, where Russian police beat a new wave of discontent, a day after the authorities engaged in an unprecedented social mobilization and released a journalist transformed into a resistance symbol. against police abuse.

Among the detainees during the feast of Russia, the country's main holiday, the opposition leader figured Alexey Navalny, who incurs a penalty of up to 30 days in prison. They also arrested Russian and foreign teenagers and journalists.

As incidents and arrests proceeded, the President Vladimir Poutine He sent a message to the nation on the occasion of the country's meeting and promised that he would do his utmost to promote a "Greater prosperity and development" from Russia.

The march was summoned as a sign of punishment by the police authorities involved in the journalist's arrest last week Ivan Golunov, critic of the Kremlin, and calling for a reform of Russia's security apparatus and judiciary.

The organizers were expecting a large crowd, but the march was followed by a much lower number than expected, despite the divisions between those who called.

Riot police indicted the demonstration, which had been declared illegal, while throwing to the ground, handcuffing some protesters and beating others with their batons, reported the chain. CNN.

The organization OVD Info, which documents the arrests in Russia, estimated that more than 420 people had been arrested. Moscow police also reported that 1,200 people had participated in the march and more than 200 had been arrested. Some of them were released later.

Golunov, who works for the digital portal Meduza and the author of numerous research articles on corruption, was released Tuesday after the police abruptly withdrew its charges of drug trafficking.

His arrest sparked public unrest, as well as an unprecedented media solidarity protest, including a joint coverage released last Monday by the country's three major newspapers, which said: "I am / we are Ivan Golounov".

Two police officers should be exonerated.

The case of Golunov, aged 36, is an additional problem for Putin, who has been in power since 2000, which has seen a decline in approval ratings in recent months, due to economic difficulties and growing poverty.

Despite his release, the journalist's supporters decided to continue the demonstration called Wednesday, which, according to the authorities, would be illegal.
Before the publication, some 25,000 people had expressed interest in walking via Facebook.

To a controversial extent, the editors of Meduza and other reputable journalists have urged Muscovites not to mobilize, triggering a storm of criticism. Despite the celebration of Golunov's release, the International Federation and European journalists have urged the Moscow government to stop harbading the press.

Russia ranks 149th in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, out of a total of 180 countries participating in this annual index, after falling under a pressure from the independent press.