Almost 2,000 Russians arrested on the first day of anti-war protests
On February 24th, OVD-Info worked tirelessly. Our lawyers and volunteers helped detainees held at police stations, we advised them via messenger and by phone, we collected and published information about detentions and human rights violations in cities all over Russia. All of this is possible thanks to our followers and supporters. You can support us by subscribing to a regular donation or by making a one-off. You can also donate to us in crypto!
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Arrested protesters
Detained: 1,965 people in 60 cities of Russia. Here is a list of arrested protesters by region (since February 24, at least 3,093 people have been detained at anti-war protests — as of February 26)
Minors: at least 31 across Russia.
Detained journalists: at least 17 in 7 cities.
Detainees are charged with: violation of rally participation rules (Part 5 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code), repeated violation of rally participation rules (Part 8 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code), organization or holding of a rally (part 2 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code), disobedience to lawful order of a police officer (Article 19.3 of the Administrative Code), organization of mass simultaneous presence of citizens (Part 1 of Article 20.2.2 of the Administrative Code), disorderly conduct (Article 20.1 of the Administrative Code), interference with urban infrastructure (Part 6.1 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code).
At least one arrested protester from the Sverdlovsk Oblast and one from Barnaul were charged with violation of rules of conduct in case of emergency or the threat of emergency (Article 20.6.1 of the Administrative Code). One protester from St. Petersburg was charged for violation of anti-covid measures (Article 8.6.1 of the Administrative Code of St. Petersburg).
They could face fines from 2, 000 to 300,000 rubles and arrests ranging from 15 to 30 days, in accordance with various articles of the Code Of Administrative Offences.
Violations in police departments and non-admission of lawyers
Many detainees in different cities were left in police stations overnight, they were forced to submit their fingerprints, threatened with criminal cases, and their phones and passports were taken away.
OVD-Info is aware of protesters being beaten by police officers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tyumen, and Yekaterinburg at least. Some were beaten not while being taken away but later at the police department.
Several police departments in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Saratov, Voronezh, and Yekaterinburg introduced the Fortress Plan (Plan Krepost') and denied the detainees access to their lawyers for several hours.
At Izmailovo police station in Moscow the detainees were filmed illegally. For some reason, one of the police officers pulled out a gun, and his colleagues were making jokes about torture, which was all caught on video.
Arrests of peaceful protesters
Moscow
❗️ Жеское задержание в Москве, полицейские расцепляют девушку и молодого человека
Видео предоставлено очевидцем pic.twitter.com/XknIrsyKFx
— ОВД-Инфо (@OvdInfo) February 24, 2022
Москва, задержание моего друга, который сидел с нами на лавочке
Пнули и скрутили
Повод? Попросил подошедшего полицейского показать удостоверение не очень покорным тоном#нетвойне pic.twitter.com/p2mTJnd1EI
— Олечка на троечку (@olejjka_) February 24, 2022