Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrested during anti-government protests
- 6 years ago
Now for a look at stories making headlines around the world and we start with unrest in Russia.
Amid protests calling for a presidential election boycott, opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been detained by police.
For more on this and other news we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… another crackdown by Russian authorities to try to silence President Putin's most vocal critic…
That's right Semin… he appeared at a rally on Sunday to urge voters to boycott what he said would be a rigged presidential election in March.
He was then was dragged feet first by police into a patrol van, sparking chaotic scenes.
In a tweet soon after he was detained, Navalny encouraged his supporters to join the nationwide protests, which Russian authorities said were illegal.
He added that the detention of one person was meaningless, adding that the protests were not about him, but the future of Russian people.
He is expected to be charged with illegally organizing a protest and could face 30 days behind bars if found guilty.
More than 180 people were also reported to have been arrested across the country.
Earlier on Sunday, police raided the opposition leader's campaign headquarters in Moscow in what they said was a response to a bomb threat.
It came as the office was broadcasting a YouTube video to cover the rallies, which have not been mentioned by Russian state media.
Eight staff members were said to have been detained, with computers and cameras also being seized.
The election is expected to be comfortably won by Putin and Navalny has been barred from running.
But the Kremlin seems to be weary of Navalny's ability to use social media to mobilize crowds of mostly young protesters in major cities.
However, the number of participants who showed up at Sunday's protests were said to be lower than previous demonstrations Navalny had staged, indicating that momentum may have shifted away from him.
Amid protests calling for a presidential election boycott, opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been detained by police.
For more on this and other news we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… another crackdown by Russian authorities to try to silence President Putin's most vocal critic…
That's right Semin… he appeared at a rally on Sunday to urge voters to boycott what he said would be a rigged presidential election in March.
He was then was dragged feet first by police into a patrol van, sparking chaotic scenes.
In a tweet soon after he was detained, Navalny encouraged his supporters to join the nationwide protests, which Russian authorities said were illegal.
He added that the detention of one person was meaningless, adding that the protests were not about him, but the future of Russian people.
He is expected to be charged with illegally organizing a protest and could face 30 days behind bars if found guilty.
More than 180 people were also reported to have been arrested across the country.
Earlier on Sunday, police raided the opposition leader's campaign headquarters in Moscow in what they said was a response to a bomb threat.
It came as the office was broadcasting a YouTube video to cover the rallies, which have not been mentioned by Russian state media.
Eight staff members were said to have been detained, with computers and cameras also being seized.
The election is expected to be comfortably won by Putin and Navalny has been barred from running.
But the Kremlin seems to be weary of Navalny's ability to use social media to mobilize crowds of mostly young protesters in major cities.
However, the number of participants who showed up at Sunday's protests were said to be lower than previous demonstrations Navalny had staged, indicating that momentum may have shifted away from him.