Russia faces more mass protest

2007-04-15 09:24

St Petersburg - Opponents of President Vladimir Putin began arriving in Saint Petersburg for a protest rally on Sunday, a day after police broke up a protest in Moscow and arrested of opposition leader Garry Kasparov.

The Other Russia, a coalition of groups that accuse Putin of creating an authoritarian state, was planning to march through the centre of Russia's second city.

The authorities say the protestors are allowed only to demonstrate in a fixed location and that any attempt to march will be blocked.

The warning raised the spectre of a repeat of Saturday's events in Moscow, where 9 000 riot police and soldiers were deployed to prevent less than 2 000 Other Russia activists marching peacefully to a central square.

Police arrested some 200 protestors including Kasparov, one of Other Russia's leaders and the former world chess champion. He was released late Saturday after being fined the equivalent of 40 dollars (30 euros).

In St Petersburg, arrests began hours before the activists had even gathered.

Marina Litvinovich, an aide to Kasparov, said she and eight more members of The Other Russia were detained on arrival in Saint Petersburg early Sunday.

"We were arrested when we got off the train. They told us this was connected to the demonstration," she told Echo of Moscow radio by telephone. "Formally, this was for a documents check, but then they told us we were on the federal wanted list.... They did not say why."

Tensions are rising ahead of the March 2008 presidential election to replace Putin, who is constitutionally required to step down at the end of his second term.

Putin, who has overseen rapid economic growth in Russia, is widely popular and analysts believe that whomever the former KGB officer endorses as his successor will face little opposition in securing the Kremlin.

Opponents say that overwhelming dominance is the result of a powerful state media machine, an economic bonanza from high world oil prices, and the growing power of the security forces.

Other Russia parties range from pro-Western liberals to radical leftists, groups with little in common other than the stated goal of pushing for democratic elections in 2008.

- AFP