Russian opposition leader arrested on way to rally

Hours before a scheduled rally staged in the Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod, Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was arrested by security operatives who detained him in Moscow.

After his arrest, Navalny called on his supporters to attend the rally despite any obstacle.

Read also: UK cops nab sixth suspect in connection with London train tube explosion

“I can’t come to today’s meeting because the Kremlin is really afraid of this event we’re planning,” Navalny said Friday in a video message posted on his Twitter account. “Let them be afraid, but I call on you to turn up anyway.”

Police in Moscow said they arrested Navalny for repeatedly calling for unauthorized rallies, according to state-run Tass news service.

In Nizhny Novgorod, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of Moscow, police dismantled a stage set up for Navalny’s rally, Ekho Moskvy radio reported.

 

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