more than 150 people sentenced for gathering in his memory in Russia

Russian justice this weekend sentenced at least 150 people arrested during tributes to opponent Alexeï Navalny to prison terms, for having violated the strict legislation governing demonstrations, according to court data revealed on Sunday February 18 .

In St. Petersburg alone, in the northwest, judges sentenced 154 of them to up to 14 days in prison on Saturday and Sunday, according to decisions made public by the courts’ press service. of this city, the second largest in Russia. Human rights groups and independent media reported several similar convictions in other cities.

Those close to Alexeï Navalny on Saturday described the Russian authorities as “killers” seeking to “cover their tracks” by refusing to hand over his body, the Kremlin remaining silent despite accusations from the West and rallies in tribute to the opponent.

Protests against the Kremlin are illegal

This weekend, police arrested hundreds of Russians in dozens of cities who had gone to lay flowers and light candles in his honor at memorials to victims of Stalin-era repression.

Protests against the Kremlin and other public actions opposing the regime are illegal in Russia, notably under legislation banning unauthorized gatherings.

Police officers and men in plain clothes patrolled sites in dozens of Russian cities where people gathered to pay their respects to Alexei Navalny this weekend.

They were notably seen overnight removing temporary memorials and images showed hooded men putting flowers in trash bags on a bridge near the Kremlin where another leading opponent of Vladimir Putin, Boris Nemtsov, was killed in 2015.