Russia Detains Navalny Allies After Raids

Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Jan, 2021 ) :Several allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny were taken into custody early on Thursday after their apartments and offices were searched by police ahead of planned demonstrations.

Navalny's aides indicated that the searches were connected to a criminal probe launched by the interior ministry over alleged violations of coronavirus restrictions during protests last week.

The searches come as the opposition called for fresh demonstrations on Sunday to demand freedom for Navalny, who was arrested on his return from Germany, where he spent months recovering from a nerve agent poisoning.

Ivan Zhdanov, the head of Navalny's FBK Anti-Corruption Foundation, said prominent aide Lyubov Sobol and Navalny's brother Oleg were detained for 48 hours as suspects.

Sobol's lawyer Vladimir Voronin said both she and Oleg Navalny were questioned by police during the night.

Searches were also carried out in the flat of Navalny's wife Yulia and in the office of FBK, Navalny's organisation, which is known for its investigations into the wealth of Russia's elites.

Police also arrived at the home of Navalny's doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva and she too was taken into custody for 48 hours.

In a video posted on Twitter by Vasilyeva's press secretary, the doctor is playing Beethoven on the piano as people in uniform arrive at the door.

According to Mediazona, a news website that focuses on opposition detentions, police carried out at least 18 searches on Wednesday.