“Enough blocking us.” Russians took to the streets. Putin “tightened the screw”
Four activists detained in Moscow were put in custody for up to 15 days. Vladislav Azarochkin, Alexander Shelestsov and Suzanna S. were found guilty of minor hooliganism and disobedience to the police, reports the Caution, news website.
Azarochkin said he was arrested after he put out his cigarette and threw the butt on the ground. Alexander Shelestsov said that a security officer approached him on Bolotnaya Square to talk, then told him to leave the square and “stand by the pole.” Shelestsov approached the police cars and was detained there. Suzanna S. reported that she was also approached by a policeman in civilian clothes on Bolotnaya Square. He talked about the weather. He then took her to jail, where she was charged with refusing to show her passport.
Yekaterina Wagner was charged with disobeying the police because she allegedly “physically resisted” and tried to escape. The girl told Mediazona that after the sentence for the first “offence” expired, the police promised to file a report against her for organizing an illegal rally. She was also imprisoned for 15 days.
Justifying the refusal, regional officials mentioned “disruptive people”, the danger of drone attacks, COVID-19 restrictions (which apply only in cases where authorities want to cancel a gathering) and planned roller skating workshops.
Russian MAX application on your mobile screen. In this way, the Kremlin is trying to create a digital ecosystem disconnected from Western internet networksSEFA KARACAN / ANADOLU AGENCY / AFP
Although the Russian authorities rejected all requests to organize rallies, several of them were eventually held: in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kaluga, Voronezh and other cities. The security services set up a cordon in advance both at Bolotnaya Square in Moscow, Lenin Square in Saint Petersburg and 1905 Square in Yekaterinburg.
In Murmansk, the authorities restricted access to the Internet and police vans were stationed in the city center. The officers also blocked the passage to the Great Stone Bridge towards the Kremlin and demanded that the participants disperse. Later, they detained over 10 people in the capital.
Detentions and threats
During the rally on March 29 Russian security services detained 19 people: 14 in Moscow, two in Saint Petersburg, two in Kaluga and one in Voronezh – according to the latest OVD-Info data. Four minors were among those detained.
The first detainee in Moscow was human rights defender and Soviet dissident Alexander Podrabinek. He filmed people gathered on Bolotnaya Square. Three hours later he was released. In the evening, the security forces began to drive people out of the square.
Then, security service officers detained eight people, including journalist Yekaterina Wagner and her nephew Artur Wagner, as well as man with a “No to war” banner. Everyone, including two minors, was taken to the police station. The detained Artur Wagner, who is disabled, told human rights defenders that he was beaten by officers at the police station. They also forced him to testify against his aunt and claim that she had forced him to take part in the operation.
Ekaterina Wagner was left at the police station overnight. When activists tried to bring essential items to the detainees, such as toothbrushes and other hygiene products, officers behaved rudely and refused to hand them over. They detained another man overnight. Four people were released without protocols, and two minors were taken away by their parents.
Then, on Bolotnaya Square, the security services detained three more people – Alexander Kuzmin, Potemek Simagin and a minor boy. They were taken to the police station. In relation to the former, a report on breach of order during the operation was drawn up (part 5, article 20.2 of the Code on Petty Offenses) and he was sent home. The second one was detained overnight at the police station and promised to prepare a report based on the article regarding “gatherings”. Ultimately, however, the officers invoked the article on petty hooliganism. The next day the court sent back the report. The minor was released home.
The detained Vladislav Azarochkin later informed human rights defenders that at the police station he was beaten by several law enforcement officers. One of them was in civilian clothes. Azarochkin added that they threatened him with torture and rape. According to the latest data from OVD-Info, he was detained overnight at the police station. Security forces officers also stated that they would prepare reports against him on disobedience to the police (Article 19.3 of the Code on Petty Offenses) and minor hooliganism (Article 20.1 of the Code on Petty Offenses).
They did not allow him a lawyer – when he tried to indicate in the report that he needed a lawyer, they kicked him out of the office. However, they later allowed the lawyer to enter the police station. There he also met another person detained at Bolotnaya Square.
In Saint Petersburg, several people showed up for a protest on Lenin Square next to the Finnish Railway Station. The officers detained two men. They threatened one of them with a protocol and a summons to the military commissariat, and then they released him.
In Kaluga, they detained politician Konstantin Larionov and a woman helping him. The reason for their arrest was that they were putting up leaflets criticizing blockades and internet shutdowns in Russia. Larionov was asked to write an explanation, but he refused. Both detainees were released without reports.
— We haven't broken any laws and we don't intend to break any. The only thing we want is to make our country better and for people to live better. We'll see whether a protocol will be drawn up, Larionov said.
The biggest protests in several years
The Agency website states that protests against internet blocks in Russia have become the largest in terms of number of detainees since summer 2023. Even though there was a modest turnout, the security forces brutally treated the detainees and threatened them.
Political scientist Fyodor Krasheninnikov believes that news about the upcoming demonstrations was “greatly exaggerated” by the authorities.
“This whole thing has been blown out of proportion into a serious problem. In response to such threats, the authorities always make the same decision: suppress. So there's nothing strange about it, he says.
According to him, no one expected that the authorities would “suddenly show leniency” or “pat them on the head” when people planned to organize demonstrations against their decisions. The brutal arrests were intended to “make everyone who doesn't know this yet understand that they can't protest against anything.”
— [Władze rosyjskie kierują się następującą logiką:] If you want to protest against something and you think that you are so young that it's all funny and funny, you will get a full answer, he says.
It also assumes that they themselves the protests could have been a provocation to check who would show up at the rallies.
— They are tightening the screws, the repression continues. All those who oppose the government are arrested. This is to scare the next generations so that no one will ever dare to protest or plot anything [przeciwko władzom] – he emphasizes.
