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Russian police launch raids ahead of anti-Putin march Russian police launch raids ahead of anti-Putin march
(about 4 hours later)
Armed police have launched a series of early morning raids on the homes of prominent opposition activists as Moscow braces itself for the next mass street demonstration against President Vladimir Putin. Armed police launched a series of raids on Monday on the homes of prominent opposition activists as Moscow braced itself for a mass street demonstration against President Vladimir Putin.
Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, socialite and television presenter Ksenia Sobchak and former deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov were among those targeted.Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, socialite and television presenter Ksenia Sobchak and former deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov were among those targeted.
"There is a search going on in my home," Navalny wrote on Twitter shortly after 8am local time. "They almost split the door in two.""There is a search going on in my home," Navalny wrote on Twitter shortly after 8am local time. "They almost split the door in two."
Russia's opposition is planning its next big rally for Tuesday, a national holiday. It has a licence for up to 50,000 people to attend. Police also cordoned off Navalny's office where the prolific campaigner runs his Anti-Corruption Fund and co-ordinates his exposes involving government bodies and large companies.
Russia's opposition has a licence for up to 50,000 people to attend a rally on Tuesday , a national holiday. But those targeted were ordered to report to police for questioning on Tuesdayat 11am – a time that could prevent their attendance at the march, which is due to begin in central Moscow at midday.
Officials said the raids were a part of an investigation into the violence that broke out between riot police and protesters at the last opposition demonstration on 6 May.Officials said the raids were a part of an investigation into the violence that broke out between riot police and protesters at the last opposition demonstration on 6 May.
Those who have had their properties searched have also been summoned for questioning by police on Tuesday morning – a time that could prevent their attendance at the march, which is due to begin in central Moscow at midday. Police confiscated computers and other electronic equipment as well flags, photographs and clothing. Searches were also conducted in the homes of the parents and parents-in-law of several of the opposition activists.
Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement that more than 10 such searches will take place on Monday and that they will all be conducted in "strict accordance with the norms of judicial procedure". Celebrity socialite Sobchak, often dubbed Russia's Paris Hilton, tweeted that she did not have time to get dressed before police "stormed in".
Early reports suggested that police were also present outside Navalny's office where the prolific campaigner co-ordinates his exposés of corruption scandals involving government bodies and large companies. .
The raids are the latest in a series of moves by the authorities that appear to pile the pressure on Russia's opposition movement. The raids are the latest in a series of moves by the authorities against Russia's opposition movement. New legislation that imposes draconian fines on participants in unsanctioned demonstrations was rushed through the Duma this month and signed into law by Putin on Friday.
New legislation that imposes draconian fines on participants in unsanctioned demonstrations was rushed through the Duma this month and signed into law by Putin on Friday.
It increases fines for individual participants 150 times to 300,000 rubles (£6,000) and for organisers to 1 million rubles.It increases fines for individual participants 150 times to 300,000 rubles (£6,000) and for organisers to 1 million rubles.
Putin and the prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, publicly defended the new law as in line with European standards. Putin and the prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, publicly defended the new law, saying it wasin line with European standards.
The police have made a steady stream of arrests over the last two months following the opposition's last rally when over 400 people were initially detained. Five arrests were made on Sunday. The police have made a steady stream of arrests over the last two months following the opposition's last rally, when more than 400 people were initially detained. Five arrests were made on Sunday.
The Russian-language Twitter hashtag #hello1937 was briefly trending globally on Monday morning, a reference to the repression unleashed by Stalin in that year.The Russian-language Twitter hashtag #hello1937 was briefly trending globally on Monday morning, a reference to the repression unleashed by Stalin in that year.
Duma deputies Dmitry Gudkov and Ilya Ponomaryov, who co-ordinated the opposition to the new law on protests in Russia's parliament, warned in a joint statement that the raids had escalated the situation.Duma deputies Dmitry Gudkov and Ilya Ponomaryov, who co-ordinated the opposition to the new law on protests in Russia's parliament, warned in a joint statement that the raids had escalated the situation.
"This could provoke an irreversible growth in social tensions and close the way to a constructive evolution of Russia's political system," they said."This could provoke an irreversible growth in social tensions and close the way to a constructive evolution of Russia's political system," they said.