Anti-corruption protests sweep Russia, with demonstrators being detained across the country.
June 12, a national holiday known as Russia Day, usually sees mass festivities to mark the occasion of the signing of the country’s declaration of independence in 1990. This year, those taking part in historical reenactments and the SamovarFest tea party in the capital saw some 5,000 anti-corruption protestors hijack the celebrations. According to the BBC, some 200 protest permits were filed across the nation, and with 169 of these granted, cities all the way from Vladivostok to Norilsk saw protestors take to the streets. After the last-minute change of location rendred the Moscow protest unsanctioned, police had a free hand in detaining demonstrators, resulting in over 1,000 arrests in Moscow and St. Petersburg alone.
Images of young people being detained are becoming a symbol of Russian opposition movement. This time, even the massive inflatable duck was “arrested,” used to mock Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s custom-made duck house on one of his luxurious estates.
Alexei Navalny, Russia’s opposition leader at the head of the protests, was detained before he even got anywhere near to the rally and sentenced to 30 days administrative arrest. Under the likely assumption that President Vladimir Putin will run for re-election next year, Navalny intends to pose as his challenger. Navalny’s political involvement in uncovering and exposing corruption in Russian government, as well as galvanizing crowds on an unprecedented scale in hopes of promoting “a modern democratic state” for the country, has seen him dragged through the courts and detention centers over the years.
As one protestor tells Al Jazeera, “Corruption is the biggest problem. Putin is the leader of the corruption — Putin and Medvedev, of course. Putin and corruption is the same word.”
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.
Photo Credit: mosprofs
Support Fair Observer
We rely on your support for our independence, diversity and quality.
For more than 10 years, Fair Observer has been free, fair and independent. No billionaire owns us, no advertisers control us. We are a reader-supported nonprofit. Unlike many other publications, we keep our content free for readers regardless of where they live or whether they can afford to pay. We have no paywalls and no ads.
In the post-truth era of fake news, echo chambers and filter bubbles, we publish a plurality of perspectives from around the world. Anyone can publish with us, but everyone goes through a rigorous editorial process. So, you get fact-checked, well-reasoned content instead of noise.
We publish 2,500+ voices from 90+ countries. We also conduct education and training programs
on subjects ranging from digital media and journalism to writing and critical thinking. This
doesn’t come cheap. Servers, editors, trainers and web developers cost
money.
Please consider supporting us on a regular basis as a recurring donor or a
sustaining member.
Will you support FO’s journalism?
We rely on your support for our independence, diversity and quality.
How Alexei Navalny Created Russia’s Main Opposition Platform
Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation has flourished into the most influential of the Kremlin’s critics, capable of effectively challenging the regime.
