Support The Moscow Times!

Dozens Detained Using Moscow's Facial Recognition Tech on Russia Day – Watchdog

OVD-Info said 19 Muscovites have been detained for anti-war pickets, some of them facing misdemeanor charges of "discrediting" the Russian military. t.me/ovdinfo

Nearly 70 Moscow metro passengers and pickters have been detained across the Russian capital on the Russia Day national holiday Sunday, an independent watchdog has said.

“At least 67 people were detained by police on Russia Day,” the OVD-Info police-monitoring website said.

“Most of them — 43 people — were detained in the Moscow metro using facial recognition [technology],” it reported.

Some were reportedly told that there had been an alert targeting them for detention. They were released by late Sunday without any charges pressed against them.

OVD-Info added that 19 Muscovites have been detained for holding anti-war pickets, with some of them facing misdemeanor charges of "discrediting" the Russian military's actions abroad.

More than 15,000 anti-war protesters have been detained across Russia since President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

A week later, Russia passed a law making it a felony punishable by up to 15 years in jail to spread “fake news” about the Russian Armed Forces.

Russia Day marks the day when the legislature of the then-Russian Federative Socialist Soviet Republic adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty — June 12, 1990. 

The day was made a national holiday in 1992.

OVD-Info reported additional detentions of anti-war picketers in cities including St. Petersburg, Penza and Vladivostok.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss 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