MOSCOW – Russian police detained several dozen people at anti-Kremlin rallies in Moscow and St Petersburg yesterday as they tried to protest against limits to freedom of assembly.
A crowd of about 600 chanted “Freedom, Freedom!” in sub-zero temperatures on Moscow’s Triumph Square, heavily outnumbered by riot police, who dragged more than a dozen activists off to waiting buses after detaining them at a metro exit as they headed to the rally.
“This is our democracy. Look at what happens in Russia!” yelled one youth as black-helmeted OMON riot police arrested him.
Human rights activists and opponents of the Kremlin have staged demonstrations on the square on the last day of each month with 31 days, in a symbolic reference to the right to free assembly enshrined under Article 31 of Russia’s constitution.
President Dmitry Medvedev has promised to allow more criticism of the authorities since he was steered to power by his close ally Vladimir Putin, now prime minister, in 2008. But most opposition groups say little has changed and their activities are still restricted.
In St Petersburg, police said they had detained about 60 people at a rally in the heart of city where protesters cried: “We demand freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and an end to censorship.”
Opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, who spent 15 days in jail after a New Year’s Eve protest, rallied the Moscow crowd with calls to end Mr Putin’s grip on power.
“The rubbish tip of history awaits Putin just like all dictators,” he said, raising chants of “Putin resign” and “Russia without Putin”. – (Reuters)