Russian protest leader to face court
Posted Sep 3, 2019 06:23:46 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MOSCOW — A Russian activist who spearheaded this summer’s anti-government protests has been detained and faces court just days before the local vote that provoked the opposition.
Lyubov Sobol, who was barred from running for the Moscow city legislature, was detained for several hours late on Monday and will appear in court on Tuesday accused of repeated violations of the law on public gatherings.
Sobol led the protests that engulfed Moscow this summer against the disqualification of opposition candidates for the Sept. 8 vote. She took part in an unauthorized rally Saturday that did not lead to any arrests.
Police also detained municipal lawmaker Ilya Azar on Monday, picking him up from his home and leaving his toddler alone in an unlocked apartment, according to his wife and other local lawmakers. Azar’s lawyer said they would complain about the police actions.
The Associated Press
