Russia police detain Alexei Navalny's allies ahead of a planned demonstration

Several allies of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny were detained in Moscow on January 28 after police raided ir respective apartments and offices ahe of a planned demonstration. According to Associated Press, Navalny's top ally Lyubov Sobol, Dr Anastasia Vasilyeva from Alliance of Doctors union and Maria Alyokhina have been detained for 48 hours along with Russian opposition leer’s bror Oleg. All four detainees are reported to be suspects in a criminal probe into alleged violations of coronavirus regulations during mass rally in Moscow. 

arrest of Navalny’s allies come four days before new protests that his supporters have called for January 31. On Wednesday, Russian police carried out at least 18 searches. cops raided flat of Navalny’s wife Yulia and office of FBK, Navalny’s organisation, which is kwn for its investigations into wealth of Russia’s elites.

law enforcement in nation has alrey detained over 3,000 protesters demanding immediate release of Navalny. Earlier this week, Navalny's wife Yulia was also detained in Moscow. Following arrests, Kremlin broke its silence on nationwide protests and y t only downplayed severity of demonstrations that were witnessed in several cities but also accused United States of meddling in Moscow’s internal affairs.

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Navalny’s allies call for fresh protest on Jan 31 

Navalny was arrested on January 17 on returning to Moscow from Germany, where he h spent nearly five months recovering from nerve-nt poisoning that he has blamed on Kremlin but Russian authorities deny. His team has called for new protests later this month to demand release of Kremlin critic, who was jailed soon after returning from Germany. Leonid Volkov, one of closest allies of jailed leer, called on people to gar in all Russian cities on January 31 to demand "freedom for Navalny". Volkov urged people to come out in support of Navalny on January 31 at 12 pm, ding furr details will be anunced soon. 

Kremlin critic has argued that his arrest is "politically motivated", but Russian authorities say that he has been arrested because he violated terms of his suspended prison terms of 2014 when he was found guilty by a court for alleged financial misdeeds. Meanwhile, international community was quick to condemn mass crackdown in Russia, calling on Moscow to respect basic freedom of its citizens, ir right to peaceful protest. condemnation came from European Union, United Kingdom, and United States.

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