© Reuters/Yuri BelyatYulia Navalny
Yulia Navalny, the wife of the jailed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, was detained in Moscow on Sunday, as thousands demonstrated to support freeing her husband.
Thousands marched across Russia for the second week to rally for Navalny, prompting police to use force and arrest over 5,000 people protesting in Russia's 11 time zones,
according to the Associated Press.
This weekend's arrests have surpassed the roughly 4,000 from last weekend's demonstrations.After the first round of protests earlier this month,
Russian President Vladimir Putin labeled the demonstrations as unlawful and "dangerous." Yulia Navalny was also detained during the first round of protests.
Alexei Navalny, 44, is one of Putin's most vocal critics and has been jailed in Moscow since returning to his country. Navalny returned to Russia earlier this month after spending months in Germany, recovering from being poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent.
Navalny has blamed the Kremlin for his poisoning, though Russia denies any involvement in the matter. He was arrested for allegedly violating his parole conditions by not reporting for meeting with law enforcement while in Germany.
A court hearing on Tuesday predicted the opposition leader could receive several years in prison over parole violations from a 2014 embezzlement case,
according to the New York Times. Europe's top human rights court labeled the possible sentence as being politically motivated.
The United States government has called upon Russia to release Navalny, criticizing Moscow's handling of protesters.
"The U.S. condemns the persistent use of harsh tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists by Russian authorities for a second week straight,"
tweeted Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "We renew our call for Russia to release those detained for exercising their human rights, including Aleksey Navalny."
Comment: The Navalny protests continued with intensity, targeting both Moscow and St. Petersburg:
Several police officers placing Yulia Navalny into a van:
Law enforcement gained control, but
not without consequences:
An officer can be seen drawing his service pistol after being punched and kicked by demonstrators, who were chasing a small group of policemen down a street just off Sennaya Square in St. Petersburg.
An unconscious man being carried onto a bus in the historic city center as police could be seen making arrests outside.
The opposition-leaning news outlet also reported that journalists wearing identifying yellow vests were detained by officers in riot gear. A video shows one being carried by their arms and legs to an awaiting van.
Tapping the
US interest and involvement with Navalny?
A letter to President Biden by allies of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny, sparked fierce backlash and calls for harsh measures against high-profile Russian officials and businessmen.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), set up by Navalny in 2011, has asked the White House for fresh sanctions, local media reported on Sunday. The group is registered as a 'foreign agent' by the Russian Ministry of Justice, because it has received funding from abroad in the past.
The appeal calls on Biden to target the "corrupt Russian allies of President [Vladimir] Putin." "We would be grateful if the US would take concrete policy and sanctions actions to limit corruption and abuse of human rights,"
Among those on the list are billionaire Roman Abramovich, the country's Minister for Health Mikhail Murashko and 33 other prominent Russians. However, amidst those singled out by the group, seven of those named are already targeted under existing US sanctions lists.
Vladimir Ashurkov, executive director of the foundation, told CNN that the letter was personally addressed to Biden as leader of the world's 'most powerful country.' "If anyone can do anything, it is the United States," he said. The group is reportedly planning to send similar letters to leaders of the European Union and the United Kingdom.
First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov slammed the organization in comments made to RIA Novosti.
"It smacks of treason. Can you imagine an American organization appealing to Vladimir Putin with a request to impose sanctions on the US president? This must be harshly suppressed. There must be a strong reaction from law enforcement agencies, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and [the state security agency] the FSB."
St. Petersburg experienced an uptick in violence over the past fortnight:
© Sputnik/Alexey MayshevMoscow Protest, week #2
© Sputnik/Yevgeny OdinokovNovosibirsk, Russia at -20 degrees Celsius
The Union of Journalists of Russia issued a warning after 60 media workers were detained. At least eight of those held by police were in St. Petersburg and footage showed a reporter in a fluorescent yellow 'press' vest being carried off to a waiting vehicle.
See also:
Protesters detained at rallies in support of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny in Russia's Far East and Siberia
The psychos in Washington allege without evidence that Russia interferes in US affairs, while they blatantly interfere in Russia, and everywhere else.
Thats what pychopaths do.