Police in Russia are said to have “arrested at least 100 protesters” after the death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
People gathered across Russia to mark the death of Navalny, a man who was regarded by many to be Vladimir Putin’s most significant political opposition.
Imagines from both Moscow and St Petersburg showed police taking placards from protesters and removing others from memorials paying tribute to Navalny.
Human rights group OVD-Info report at least 100 people have been arrested at protests, reports The BBC. Protests have reportedly been detained in eight cities across the nation.
Sky News says no reasons have been given for the arrests. However, Russians have been warned against participating in any mass demonstrations across Moscow.
Navalny, a vocal opposition to Putin, had campaigned against corruption in Russia and led anti-Kremlin protests. Russian authorities said he was found dead in prison on Friday, aged 47.
UK Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has called for “consequences” after Navalny’s death. While a Foreign Office spokesperson said Navalny’s death must be “investigated fully and transparently”.
They said: “Alexei Navalny dedicated his life to exposing the corruption of the Russian system, calling for free and open politics, and holding the Kremlin to account.
“We stand today with his family, friends, colleagues and supporters. Our thoughts go out to them.
They said: “Alexei Navalny dedicated his life to exposing the corruption of the Russian system, calling for free and open politics, and holding the Kremlin to account.
“We stand today with his family, friends, colleagues and supporters. Our thoughts go out to them.
“The Russian authorities saw Mr Navalny as a threat. Many Russian citizens felt he gave them a voice.
“In recent years, the authorities imprisoned him on fabricated charges, poisoned him with a banned nerve agent, and sent him to an Arctic penal colony. No-one should doubt the brutal nature of the Russian system.”
“The Russian authorities saw Mr Navalny as a threat. Many Russian citizens felt he gave them a voice.
“In recent years, the authorities imprisoned him on fabricated charges, poisoned him with a banned nerve agent, and sent him to an Arctic penal colony. No-one should doubt the brutal nature of the Russian system.”
Lord Cameron, who was at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, told broadcasters: “There should be consequences because there’s no doubt in my mind that this man was a brave fighter against corruption, for justice, for democracy, and look what Putin’s Russia did to him.
“They trumped up charges, they imprisoned him, they poisoned him, they sent him to an Arctic penal colony, and he’s died, and that is because of the action that Putin’s Russia took.”
In an earlier post on X, formerly Twitter, Rishi Sunak described Navalny as “the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy” who had “demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life”.
“My thoughts are with his wife and the people of Russia, for whom this is a huge tragedy,” the Prime Minister said.
Navalny had been moved in December from his former prison in the Vladimir region of central Russia to a “special regime” penal colony, the highest security level of prisons in Russia, above the Arctic Circle.
His allies decried the transfer to the town of Kharp, in the remote Yamalo-Nenets region notorious for its long and severe winters, as yet another attempt to silence him.
The opposition leader was convicted in 2013 of embezzlement, but later the prosecutor’s office surprisingly demanded his release pending appeal, after which a higher court gave him a suspended sentence.
Many observers attributed his release to a desire by authorities to add a tinge of legitimacy to the mayoral election in Moscow, in which he had registered as a candidate.
Navalny ultimately finished second in the contest, which was seen as an impressive outcome, as the incumbent had the backing of Putin’s political machine.
When the Russian president has spoken about Mr Navalny previously, he has made it a point not to mention the activist by name, referring to him only as “that person” or similar in an apparent effort to diminish his importance.
Putin recently launched a presidential campaign for his fifth term in office.
In an earlier post on X, formerly Twitter, Rishi Sunak described Mr Navalny as “the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy” who had “demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life”.
“My thoughts are with his wife and the people of Russia, for whom this is a huge tragedy,” the Prime Minister said.
