Moscow Police Detain Navalny, More Than 100 Protesters

RTR4JOB2
Supporters of Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny hold a rally in protest against court verdict at Manezhnaya Square in Moscow December 30, 2014. A Russian court gave Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny a... Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters

Hours after a Russian court handed Alexi Navalny a suspended sentence of three and a half years on charges of embezzlement, the prominent Kremlin critic remained defiant on Tuesday, joining thousands at a rally in Moscow before the police detained him and more than 100 others.

The police reportedly said they were returning Navalny to his home, where he has been under house arrest. In a surprising move, the court also sentenced Navalny's brother, Oleg, to three and a half years in prison. The two Navalnys had been accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from two firms between 2008 and 2012, a charge they deny.

Navalny has long been an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Three years ago he led massive street protests against the Kremlin leader, as tens of thousands took to the streets, inveighing against what they call widespread corruption among Putin's closest allies.

Supporters of Navalny say the court's decision was politically motivated, and in statements following the verdict, the United States and the European Union concurred. The Kremlin has denied these accusations.

Not long after the verdict on Tuesday, thousands of protesters thronged in the cold Moscow streets against a backdrop of holiday decorations in Manezh Square.

Alexey Navalny escaped his house arrest and is moving towards manezhnaya square pic.twitter.com/JfGPve0kFM

— Feldman (@EvgenyFeldman) December 30, 2014

Алексея @navalny увезли из суда. Первый спецпроезд... pic.twitter.com/DMjQHG4Uzf

— Андрей Филин (@Barsyaka1) December 30, 2014

Happy new year from Moscow riot police pic.twitter.com/wXByTQ9W9I

— Feldman (@EvgenyFeldman) December 30, 2014

Amid holiday decorations, protest of guilty verdicts in politically-driven trial, riot police, tourists. Red Sq shut pic.twitter.com/T9oo0WY8Gh

— David M. Herszenhorn (@herszenhorn) December 30, 2014

Moscow police quietly, calmly but surely arrest dozens. It's too cold to tweet. pic.twitter.com/TXinz5tMNo

— Olaf Koens (@obk) December 30, 2014

According to the Associated Press, as of Tuesday night, Russian police are still attempting to disperse the protestors, who are chanting anti-Putin slogans and waving banners. Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Moscow has warned U.S. citizens to keep away from the square.

"Due to the possibility of large crowds and violence, Americans should avoid Manezh Square and the surrounding area including metro stations for the remainder of the day," a statement from the embassy said.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Zach Schonfeld is a senior writer for Newsweek, where he covers culture for the print magazine. Previously, he was an ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go