Kremlin 'justifies' police crackdown on Navalny protesters; call action ‘framework of law'

Amid mass arbitrary arrests by use of lethal tactics and coercion, excessive brutality against pro-Navalny protesters, Kremlin on February 2 ‘justified’ police violence calling action ‘a framework of law’. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday told state reporters that mass protests were ‘unauthorized’ and citizens illegally congregated on streets demanding release of Kremlin’s stringiest critic Alexey Navalny, who was sentenced by a court of law to a 2.5-year prison term. 

Tuesday’s demonstrations, following court’s ruling, witnessed hundreds of police officers uniformed in riot gears and OMON nts stationed throughout central Moscow and St. Petersburg brutally thrashing and detaining protesters and journalists, dragging m, as captured on foots, to minivans. Russian police, in Moscow’s one of harshest political crackdown, has detained more than 10,000 citizens since jailing anti-corruption campaigner Navalny, according to independent political detention monitoring ncy OVD-Info.

In shocking camera foot caught by journalists, protesters fought police’s volatile responses by throwing swballs and shutting down traffic as y shouted anti-Putin slogans in a pro-democracy movement. Heavy military police presence was witnessed, as squs of armed officers fenced off kilometres of pavement with metal barrices, kicking, crushing, and mercilessly beating protesters flashing anti-government placards, in support of democratic voices. 

[Russian law enforcement use force to arrest a protester. Credit: Twitter/@tlnlndn]

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Scores of Journalists arrested

In massive police operation, OMON nts resort to using force against crowd chanting ‘Putin is a thief’, causing m to disjoint and scatter at Moscow’s major junction. Officers, according to ft’s ground reporters, detained passersby into police vans as or members of crowd shouted warnings. Against those detained, police filed criminal charges for illegal assemble and flouting COVID-19 restrictions. As many as 82 journalists have been arrested, including Russian news brocaster Mediazona’s editor-in-chief, according to sources of FT. Several countries in west, including EU, US, and UK condemned Tuesday's court verdict against Alexey Navalny, demanding his immediate release, threatening sanctions. Earlier today, after court’s verdict, Navalny berated Russian authorities for poisoning him. He condemned Russian President Vlimir Putin of being responsible for his persecution —alleging that Russian leer was imprisoning one to frighten millions. 

[Police detain protesters during a protest against jailing of opposition leer Alexei Navalny. Credit: AP]

[Russsian Police detain protesters during crackdown. Credit: AP]

[Russian police beats a protester during protests. Credit: Twitter/@kforaerlighed]

[Russian police officers make arrests. Credit: AP]

[OMON nts against protesters. Credit: AP]

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(Im Credit: AP)