Jump to content

2021 Russian protests

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Mellk (talk | contribs) at 19:43, 23 January 2021 (→23 January). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2021 Russian protests
File:Протесты в Санкт-Петербурге. 2021.jpg
A demonstration in Saint Petersburg on January 23
Date23 January 2021 – present
Location
 Russia (and other countries)
Caused by
Goals
  • Release of Alexei Navalny
  • Resignation of Vladimir Putin
Methods
StatusOngoing
Parties
Lead figures
Casualties
Arrested23 January:
2,600+[1][2]

The 2021 Russian protests began on 23 January 2021 in support of the arrested opposition leader Alexei Navalny.[3][4][5]

Background

Further information: Poisoning of Alexei Navalny

On 20 August 2020, Navalny was hospitalized in serious condition after he was sickened with a nerve agent during a flight from Tomsk to Moscow.[6] He was medically evacuated to Berlin and discharged on 22 September.[7][8][9] The use of a Novichok nerve agent was confirmed by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).[10][11] Though the Kremlin denied involvement in his poisoning,[12] the EU and the UK responded by imposing sanctions on six senior Russian officials and a state chemical centre.[13][14] Navalny accused President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for his poisoning.[15] An investigation by Bellingcat and The Insider implicated agents from the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Navalny's poisoning.[16]

On 17 January 2021, Navalny returned to Russia, where he was immediately detained on accusations of violating terms of a suspended jail sentence.[17] Prior to his return, the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) said that Navalny may face jail time upon his arrival in Moscow for violating the terms of his probation, saying it would be "obliged" to detain him once he returned;[18] in 2014, Navalny received a suspended sentence in the Yves Rocher case, which he called politically motivated and in 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Navalny was unfairly convicted.[19][20] The Investigative Committee of Russia also said that it was investigating Navalny for alleged fraud.[21]

On 18 January, a court decision ordered the detention of Navalny until 15 February for violating his parole. A makeshift court was set up in the police station Navalny was being held. Another hearing would be held on 29 January to determine whether his suspended sentence should be replaced with a jail term.[22] Navalny described the procedure as "ultimate lawlessness". He also called on his supporters to take to the streets, saying: "Do not be silent. Resist. Take to the streets — not for me, but for you". Navalny's regional network head, Leonid Volkov, said that preparations were being made for protests to be organised across the country on 23 January.[23]

On 19 January, while in jail, an investigation by Navalny and his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) was published, accusing Putin of corruption. The video also urged people to take to the streets.[24] Before the protests had began, the video received over 60 million views on YouTube.[25]

On 20 January, the state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor demanded the social networks VKontakte (VK) and TikTok to stop the spread of calls to the protests.[26]

On 21 January, police started detaining several of Navalny's aides and allies, including Lyubov Sobol.[27] Several were jailed or fined, with Sobol being released.[28] The Ministry of Internal Affairs also threatened to prosecute those spreading calls to join the protests. The Prosecutor General's Office also ordered the censor, Roskomnadzor, to block access to pages that call for protests.[29]

On 22 January, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Moscow issued a statement warning against calls to the protests or participation in them. It stated that any attempts to hold unauthorized events as well as "provocative actions by the participants" would be regarded as a "threat to public order" and be "immediately suppressed".[30] Social media networks also began removing information about the protests. VK blocked access to a number of pages on the protests, with the pages stating that it was blocked on the requirement of the General Prosecutor's Office.[31] Roskomnadzor also stated that VK, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube blocked some content which involved "calls for children to participate in illegal mass events."[32]

Events

23 January

Protests took place in over 100 towns and cities across Russia.[33]

Reuters estimated at least 40,000 protesters gathered in Moscow.[34] Authorities gave an estimate of only 4,000 participants, while other estimates included 15,000 and 25,000 participants.[35][36] Riot police in the city began breaking up the protest and detaining participants before it was scheduled to start.[3] Alexei Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, and his ally Lyubov Sobol, were both detained in Moscow after attending the protests. Navalnaya was released after being detained for 3 hours.[37] Clashes between police and protesters broke out.[3] State media reported that around 40 police officers were injured. The Investigative Committee said that it opened a probe into instances of violence against police.[38]

According to Novaya Gazeta, up to 3,000 protesters gathered in Vladivostok, about 1,000 gathered in Khabarovsk and about 10,000 protesters marched along the main street in Nizhny Novgorod.[5]

According to Tayga.info, up to 4,000 protesters gathered in Novosibirsk. Police broke up the protest using force. According to OVD-Info, over 100 people in the city were detained.[39]

Estimates of the number of protesters in Yekaterinburg varied between 5,000 and 11,000. Clashes between police and protesters broke out, with officers reportedly targeted with snowballs and smoke grenades.[3]

Estimates of the number of protesters in Perm varied between 3,000 and 10,000.[5]

In some Russian cities there were internet and mobile phone network outages. Communication issues were reported in cities including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Voronezh, Rostov-on-Don and Saratov. Twitter users in Russia also reported problems accessing the network.[40]

As of 22:30 (MSK), 2,662 people across the country have been detained with over 1,000 of them in Moscow, according to OVD-Info.[1][2]

Navalny aide Leonid Volkov said that Navalny's team plan to organize protests next weekend.[3][41]

In other countries

Protests were also held in cities around the world, including Berlin, Munich, Prague, Krakow, Helsinki, London, The Hague, Vienna, Tel Aviv, Copenhagen, Tokyo and others.[42]

In The Hague, Netherlands, around 250 people gathered at a rally.[5][42]

In Berlin, Germany around 1,000 protesters were estimated to have gathered at a rally.[42]

In Tel Aviv, Israel, around 1,500 to 2,000 people were estimated to have gathered at a rally near the Russian embassy. Due to COVID-related restrictions, the crowd was asked to disperse by the organizers. Several hundred demonstrators then moved towards the Russian embassy. Another 600 to 1000 protesters were estimated to have gathered at a rally in Haifa.[43][44][42]

In Copenhagen, Denmark around 150 people gathered in front of the Russian Embassy.[45]

In Stockholm, Sweden around 80 people gathered outside the Russian embassy.[46] In Gothenburg, around 20 people gathered outside the Russian consulate.[47]

  • Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow
    Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow
  • OMON at Pushkinskaya Square
    OMON at Pushkinskaya Square
  • Pushkinskaya Square
    Pushkinskaya Square
  • OMON at Pushkinskaya Square
    OMON at Pushkinskaya Square
  • Pushkinskaya Square
    Pushkinskaya Square

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Акции «Свободу Навальному!» 23 января 2021 года. Онлайн". ovdinfo.org. 23 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Список задержанных на акциях в поддержку Алексея Навального 23 января 2021 года". ovdinfo.org. 23 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "As It's Happening: Russia Rallies for Navalny's Release". The Moscow Times. 23 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Митинги в поддержку Алексея Навального. Хроника". Meduza.io. 23 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Акции в поддержку Навального". novayagezeta.ru. 23 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny 'poisoned'". BBC News. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Navalny Taken Off Ventilator as Novichok Recovery Continues – German Hospital". The Moscow Times. 14 September 2020.
  8. ^ Zverev, Anton; Tétrault-Farber, Gabrielle; Ivanova, Polina; Teterevleva, Anastasia; Kiselyova, Maria (27 August 2020). Rao, Sujata (ed.). "Russian prosecutors say no need for criminal investigation in Navalny affair". Reuters. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Russia Protests Germany's 'Unfounded Accusations' In Navalny Poisoning Case". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Watchdog Says Novichok-Type Nerve Agent Found in Navalny Samples". The Moscow Times. 6 October 2020.
  11. ^ "OPCW: Novichok found on Alexei Navalny samples". Deutsche Welle. 6 October 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Kremlin dismisses claims Putin poisoned Navalny". BBC News. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  13. ^ Chappell, Bill (15 October 2020). "EU Sanctions Russian Officials Over Navalny Poisoning, Citing Chemical Weapons Use". NPR.org. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Navalny Novichok poisoning: EU sanctions hit top Russians". BBC News. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  15. ^ Rainsford, Sarah (1 October 2020). "Alexei Navalny blames Vladimir Putin for poisoning him". BBC News.
  16. ^ "Alexei Navalny: Report names 'Russian agents' in poisoning case". BBC News. 14 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Russia Navalny: Poisoned opposition leader held after flying home". BBC News. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Russia Warns 'Obliged' to Detain Kremlin Critic Navalny on Return". The Moscow Times. 14 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Human Rights Court Says Navalny Unfairly Convicted In 'Yves Rocher Case'". rferl.org. 17 October 2017.
  20. ^ "Alexey Navalny remanded in custody for 30 days pending trial". Meduza.io. 18 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Kremlin Foe Navalny Flying Back to Russia Despite Risk of Arrest". The Moscow Times. 17 January 2020.
  22. ^ "Alexei Navalny: Poisoned Putin critic Navalny jailed for 30 days". bbc.com. BBC News. 18 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Navalny Urges Russians To 'Take To The Streets' Over Jailing". The Moscow Times. 18 January 2021.
  24. ^ "Alexei Navalny: Millions watch jailed critic's 'Putin palace' film". BBC News. 20 January 2021.
  25. ^ "У видео Навального о «дворце Путина» уже более 60 миллионов просмотров". charter97.org. 22 January 2021.
  26. ^ "МВД пригрозило распространителям призывов протестовать 23 января". Interfax. 21 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Как власти России готовились к акциям в поддержку Навального". dw.com. 23 January 2021.
  28. ^ "Navalny Allies Jailed, Fined as Russia Vows Protest Crackdown". The Moscow Times. 22 January 2021.
  29. ^ "Russia Threatens Arrests, Prosecutions for Promoting Navalny Protests". The Moscow Times. 21 January 2021.
  30. ^ "ГУ МВД России по г. Москве предупреждает об ответственности за участие в несанкционированных акциях". 77.мвд.рф. 22 January 2021.
  31. ^ "«ВКонтакте» начал блокировать информацию о 23 января". znak.com. 22 January 2021.
  32. ^ "Социальные сети удаляют призывы к детям участвовать в незаконных массовых акциях". rkn.gov.ru. 22 January 2021.
  33. ^ "Protests for Jailed Kremlin Critic Navalny Sweep Russia". The Moscow Times. 23 January 2021.
  34. ^ "Moscow Navalny protest draws at least 40,000 people -Reuters estimate". nationalpost.com. 23 January 2021.
  35. ^ "Police arrest over 1,000 at Russia protests backing jailed Kremlin foe Navalny". Reuters. 23 January 2021.
  36. ^ "День всероссийского протеста: как проходят акции в поддержку Навального". BBC Russian. 23 January 2021.
  37. ^ "В Москве задержали Юлию Навальную. Ее отпустили спустя три часа". Meduza.io. 23 January 2021.
  38. ^ "В Москве, по данным РИА Новости и ТАСС, на акции протеста пострадали около 40 силовиков. СК начал проверку". Meduza.io. 23 January 2021.
  39. ^ "Акции в поддержку Навального. Онлайн". tayga.info. 23 January 2021.
  40. ^ "Russia: Police detain hundreds at pro-Navalny nationwide protests". dw.com. 23 January 2021.
  41. ^ "Леонид Волков анонсировал новые акции протеста через неделю". Meduza.io. 23 January 2021.
  42. ^ a b c d "За рубежом прошли акции солидарности с Навальным (ФОТО, ВИДЕО)". newsru.com. 23 January 2021.
  43. ^ "«Мы себя не на складе грязи нашли». Как Израиль митинговал за Навального. Фоторепортаж". znak.com. 23 January 2021.
  44. ^ "В Тель-Авиве и Хайфе на митинги солидарности с Навальным пришли тысячи человек". newsru.co.il. 23 January 2021.
  45. ^ "Putin er nervøs og forsøger at kvæle protester fra Navalnyj-tilhængere i hele Rusland". Politiken (in Danish). 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  46. ^ "Polisen ingrep mot demonstration i Stockholm". sverigesradio.se. 23 January 2021. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021.
  47. ^ "Demonstration för Navalny i Göteborg upplöst av polis". gp.se. 23 January 2021. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2021_Russian_protests&oldid=1002299547"