An opposition activist was jailed for an unprecedented 27 days in St. Petersburg on Monday after attending a banned opposition rally over the weekend, Interfax reported.
Andrei Pivovarov was convicted of resisting arrest on Sunday and during a similar rally on Aug. 31, said an unidentified representative of his group, the Russian People’s Democratic Union. Police did not comment on the report.
Pivovarov was sentenced to 14 days in jail over August’s rally in mid-September, but a retrial was ordered on appeal.
On Sunday, police briefly detained 113 of the 170 people who tried to rally at Gostiny Dvor and on Nevsky Prospekt, a St. Petersburg police spokesman said Monday.
A similar opposition event was permitted by Moscow City Hall, but 38 people were detained for trying to take the rally outside the designated venue on Triumfalnaya Ploshchad, Interfax said.
(MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
