More than a thousand detainees in an opposition demonstration in Moscow | Chronic

Russian police arrested more than a thousand protesters who took to the streets of Moscow to demand free and fair elections, despite the warnings and arrests that took place throughout the week, so that the event did not take place.

According to the portal OVD Info, specializing in the counting of detainees during protests, 1,007 people were arrested at the protest, said the agency EFE. However, the police had only acknowledged 295 arrests, according to the Interfax agency.

Dozens of people were arrested as they approached the main avenue of Moscow at the cry of "shame" or "free elections", while those who were not arrested were forced to retreat to the adjacent streets, forced by the laces of the riot officers. .

The demonstration, which was not authorized by the Moscow City Council, took place a week after a similar demonstration that had gathered between 12,000 and 22,000 people, according to people, under the same claim. The opposition has called the protests to veto independent candidacies of 57 citizens, ahead of the parliamentary elections on 8 September in Moscow, the capital, which polls anticipate complicated for candidates who support the ruling party.

OVD Info, an organization specializing in the follow-up of the protests, announced about 500 arrests three hours after the start of the protest, while the municipal police counted 295, reported the Russian news agency TASS. Several opposition representatives had been arrested even before the demonstration, in particular Ilia Yashin, Liubov Sobol or Dmitri Gudkov, who stressed that the problem went beyond local elections. "The question is whether, in present-day Russia, it is possible to legalize a policy"Gudkov said.

In addition to stopping opponents, the forces have registered this week the home of several candidates, including that of the main character of the opposition, Alexey Navalniarrested Wednesday and sentenced to 30 days in prison for raping "the rules of events"The legal action comes after the opening of a case"hinder the work of the electoral commission"from Moscow, following protests organized last July, which could lead to sentences of up to five years in prison.

The judicial strategy recalls the convictions of opponents in 2011-2012, protesting against the return of the current president Vladimir Poutine, in the Kremlin. Amnesty International criticizedopen and shameless attempt by the Russian authorities to intimidate the opposition"and warned of his fears of a"next mbad crackdown"Before the demonstration, the Moscow police had warned citizens of the ban to protest and had recommended journalists to identify to cover the event, suggesting mbad arrests.

Putin, whose popularity has increased exceptionally with the annexation of Crimea, faces complicated elections for his party as his image has dropped since his reelection last year.