Russian opposition leader detained

Russian police yesterday detained top opposition leader Alexei Navalny as they conducted fresh searches at his Moscow-based anti-corruption foundation, a spokeswoman said. “Alexei has been forcibly detained and led away,” his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter.

“He did not put up resistance,” she said, adding that searches at the FBK anti-corruption foundation were currently under way.

Yarmysh suggested that the authorities chose to raid the offices on Thursday because Navalny was scheduled to address supporters in a weekly YouTube programme in the evening.

Navalny’s staff released a video showing how law enforcement agents tried to break into the FBK offices using a saw, with sparks flying around.

“New Year’s fireworks,” Navalny’s ally Nikolai Lyaskin quipped on Twitter. Another video showed men clad in black uniforms and sporting masks and helmets serching the FBK office premises. In a separate development, Russia’s top opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta said Thursday that authorities had searched the Moscow apartment of its special correspondent Yulia Polukhina.

After the raid, the mother of two children had been taken away to “an unknown destination,” the newspaper said in a statement.

“So far this looks like an abduction,” Novaya Gazeta said.

It added that the searches were linked to Novaya Gazeta publications including those concerning “illegal armed groups” operating in the war-torn eastern Ukraine where Kiev is battling against pro-Kremlin separatists.

Authorities have been steadily ramping up pressure on Navalny and his allies in recent years with regular searches and short jail terms for President Vladimir Putin’s top opponent and his allies.

 

Russian opposition leader detained

Russian police yesterday detained top opposition leader Alexei Navalny as they conducted fresh searches at his Moscow-based anti-corruption foundation, a spokeswoman said. Alexei has been forcibly detained and led away, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter. He did not put up resistance, she said, adding that searches at the FBK anti-corruption foundation were currently under way. Yarmysh suggested that the authorities chose to raid the offices on Thursday because Navalny was scheduled to address supporters in a weekly YouTube programme in the evening. Navalnys staff released a video showing how law enforcement agents tried to break into the FBK offices using a saw, with sparks flying around. New Years fireworks, Navalnys ally Nikolai Lyaskin quipped on Twitter. Another video showed men clad in black uniforms and sporting masks and helmets serching the FBK office premises. In a separate development, Russias top opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta said Thursday that authorities had searched the Moscow apartment of its special correspondent Yulia Polukhina. After the raid, the mother of two children had been taken away to an unknown destination, the newspaper said in a statement. So far this looks like an abduction, Novaya Gazeta said. It added that the searches were linked to Novaya Gazeta publications including those concerning illegal armed groups operating in the war-torn eastern Ukraine where Kiev is battling against pro-Kremlin separatists. Authorities have been steadily ramping up pressure on Navalny and his allies in recent years with regular searches and short jail terms for President Vladimir Putins top opponent and his allies.