Support The Moscow Times!

6 Opposition Activists Detained in Moscow After One-Person Pickets

Police in Moscow have detained at least six people for holding what the political opposition described as “one-person pickets” commemorating murdered dissident leader Boris Nemtsov and denouncing the rule of President Vladimir Putin.

Two protesters were detained on Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge, where Nemtsov was shot and killed on Feb. 27, including a woman holding a poster that read: “Publish the names of Boris Nemtsov's murderers,” the OVDInfo news site reported Sunday.

Another four people were detained on Tverskaya Ulitsa, one of the main streets in the city, according to OVDInfo.

One-person rallies are exempt from Russia's ban on unauthorized gatherings, making one-person protests a favored tool among political opposition.

But most of the detainees on Sunday were seized for the “content” of the signs they were holding, the opposition-minded Grani.ru news site reported.

The signs included one that compared Russia's president to the Nazi leader, reading: “Putin is Hitler today,” according to onlookers who witnessed the protester's detention, OVDInfo reported.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more