Russian opposition activists detained in a democratic forum in Moscow. The Kremlin says they were breaking the Covid-19 protocol

Russian opposition activists detained in a democratic forum in Moscow. The Kremlin says they were breaking the Covid-19 protocol

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On Saturday, city deputies from Russia’s regions met in the Russian capital to discuss parliamentary and local elections – scheduled for September – at a forum organized by the United Democrats, a project aimed at supporting competitive elections, according to its website.

Opposition activist Ilya Yashin said that 40 minutes after the event began, the police broke down the forum and arrested about 150 deputies.

“A very symbolic end to a short forum: deputies in police vans and masked policemen are twisting people’s arms,” ​​said Yashin on Facebook.

“But nobody promised us freedom on a silver platter. Russia will be free anyway,” he added.

Yashin also posted images on Twitter from the moment he was removed from the forum by the police and from inside the police van.

Anastasia Burakova, coordinator of the United Democrats, told Russian state media RIA Novosti that the forum was held at the Izmailovo Delta Hotel, where city deputies from across Russia met to discuss the strategy for the next election cycle and share their experiences.

“All those who participated as listeners and speakers were arrested. No reason was given,” Burakova told RIA Novosti.

In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs said about 200 people were detained, citing a violation of coronavirus restrictions.

“In one of the hotel facilities on Izmailovsky Highway, a group of residents, representatives of a public entity, made an attempt to hold a public event in violation of established sanitary and epidemiological requirements – a considerable part of the participants did not have individual protection facilities “said the statement from the Ministry of Interior.

The statement added that “in addition, members of an organization whose activities are recognized as undesirable in the territory of the Russian Federation” have been identified among the participants, and that the police have stopped “illegal actions”.

Police detained about 200 people who attended the forum on Saturday, citing a violation of Covid-19 protocols and "illegal actions."

Prominent Kremlin activist and critic Vladimir Kara Murza – a longtime colleague and friend of the murdered opposition figure Boris Nemtsov – was listed among the detainees.

Murza, who says he was poisoned in 2015 and 2017, is president of the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom, a group committed “to the spread of education, freedom and progressive development,” according to its website.

OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said at least 180 people were detained.

For months, opposition activists were met with a harsh show of strength, most clearly demonstrated on January 31, when more than 5,000 people were arrested during national protests in 85 cities in support of Navalny.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that “checks are being carried out” on activists detained on Saturday, and that “a decision will be made in accordance with the law”.

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