Supporters of Alexei Navalny are taking to the streets in major Russian cities on Sunday, 31 January for a second round of unauthorised rallies in support of the opposition vlogger, who has been in custody since returning to Moscow from Berlin on 17 January.
Last week, more than a thousand people were detained and charged by police for participating in unauthorised protests and violating coronavirus restrictions. Ahead of the rallies, Russia's Prosecutor General's Office warned that anyone organising or taking part in mass demonstrations may face up to 15 years in prison.
Russia's Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier called the organisers of unauthorised rallies "provocateurs," while President Vladimir Putin stressed that everyone has the right to express their opinion, but said violating the law is "not just counterproductive but dangerous."
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