Russian presidential vote: Navalny detained on day of protests

Russian opposition leader alexei navalny has been detained by way of police in moscow after joining a rally in assist of a presidential election boycott.

"i have been detained," mr navalny, forty one, tweeted (in russian). "this means not anything," he introduced, urging his backers to enroll in protests across russia.

In advance, police raided his places of work in moscow, reportedly seizing device.

Mr navalny - president vladimir putin's most vocal critic - is barred from standing inside the 18 march election.

Footage published on mr navalny's twitter web page showed him being wrestled to the floor with the aid of policemen for the duration of the arrest.

Advertisement
The competition chief later tweeted: "the detention of 1 character is meaningless if there are many of us. A person, come and update me."

Protest rallies are being held in some of russian towns. In moscow and st petersburg they have been not sanctioned by authorities.

More than 180 people have so far been detained across the usa, reports say.The moment mr navalny's workplaces are raided
In advance on sunday, russian police raided the assets of mr navalny's anti-corruption employer in moscow. A youtube clip showed a published recording from the office being interrupted.

A spokesman for mr navalny stated the officials used a power tool to break into the office, adding that they stated they were investigating a bomb chance.

Navalny: russia's vociferous opposition chief
The demonstrations come after weeks of stress on mr navalny's supporters across russia, who've confronted detentions and had leaflets in help of the rallies confiscated.

Mr navalny, who insists he could beat mr putin in a honest combat, is barred from walking in the ballot  over a criminal conviction that he says is politically motivated.

The competition chief led mass street protests towards mr putin inside the wintry weather of 2011-12 and become arrested three instances in 2017 for organising unauthorised anti-putin protests.

Mr putin, who refuses to say mr navalny with the aid of name, keeps a massive approval rating in russia and is extensively predicted to win a fourth six-yr time period in workplace.