Russian law enforcement officers have apprehended over 100 individuals at impromptu memorials honoring the late opposition figure Alexei Navalny, as reported by the OVD-Info rights group on Saturday.
Navalny, a prominent critic of the Kremlin, passed away while serving a 19-year prison term in the Arctic, leading to an outpouring of sorrow among his followers. Videos circulating on social media depicted individuals assembling to lay flowers at makeshift shrines throughout Russia late Friday, with some facing detainment by police.
As of February 17, OVD-Info revealed that more than 101 individuals had been taken into custody across 10 cities, including 64 in Saint Petersburg, the country’s second-largest city.
In Moscow, the capital, eleven people were detained, while multiple others were apprehended in Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, and Tver. Protests are prohibited in Russia under stringent anti-dissent legislation, and authorities have exhibited a particularly severe response to demonstrations advocating for Navalny.
On Friday, officials in Moscow acknowledged online calls for participation in a large-scale demonstration in the city center and cautioned against attending. The government’s stance underscores its ongoing efforts to suppress dissenting voices and maintain control over public expressions of opposition.
Despite the risks associated with protesting, Navalny’s supporters continue to defy authorities, driven by their unwavering commitment to advocating for political reform and accountability within the Russian government.
