The Russian Public Prosecutor’s Office warned the opposition against further unauthorized demonstrations. The judiciary must „act with severity against the organizers and participants of illegal and unauthorized rallies,“ Deputy Prosecutor General Aleksander Buksman told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti today.
On Saturday, according to human rights activists, the Moscow police arrested nearly 1,400 protesters who had protested against the exclusion of numerous opposition candidates from the municipal election in the Russian capital.
EU and US: police intervention „disproportionate“
The crackdown by the security forces against the participants in the unauthorized rally has met with international criticism. The EU and the US condemned the police operation as „disproportionate“.
Attorney General Yuri Chaika demanded „effective control measures“ before and during the local elections in early September. In particular, it must be prevented that incidents such as those in Moscow are repeated.
Meanwhile, the opposition is planning another demonstration for the coming weekend. According to the organizers, the authorities approved a rally on the Moscow Sakharov Avenue. However, the organizers want to move to another location and thus risk a ban on the demonstration.
