Opposition leaders arrested in Arkhangelsk
Two of the leaders of the opposition movement in Arkhangelsk were this weekend arrested by police. The arrests took place few hours before a planned street rally in the northwest Russian city.
Police first arrested Aleksandr Yufrakov, leader of the regional Solidarity movement. Then, a couple of hours later, the police arrested also Vasily Pozdeev, leader of the local movement “My House”, Rusnord.ru reports. Both men are key figures in the opposition movement, which over the last weeks have organized several street protests in the city.
The reported reason for the arrest of Mr. Yufranov is his alleged theft of a mobile phone, news site Belmorkanal reports.
Despite the arrests of Yufrakov and Pozdeev, the meeting was not cancelled. The protest took place as scheduled, but this time only about 50 people attended the event.
A video from the protest meeting is available here.
Police had prepared thoroughly for the event and had sealed off the whole city quarter in order to “preserve law and order”, Belmorkanal reports.
As BarentsObserver reported, more than 3000 people attended the protest which took place 21 February. Another meeting is scheduled for 28 March.
According to the Belmorkanal, also former city mayor Aleksandr Donskoy was taken for questioning at the time of the meeting. Both he and the other arrested were released after the protest. -This is the work of the executive power against any protest action, Mr. Donskoy told journalists. He is confident that the authorities will use law enforcement bodies against any protest.
As reported by BarentsObserver, police in Arkhangelsk has on several previous occasions reacted harshly on street protests. Among the demonstrations suppressed by the law enforcement authorities is the protests held after the disputed city mayor elections in 2008.
