Amnesty observers witnessed police violence, as more than 400 people - including children - arrested

‘Yet again, the Russian authorities met peaceful dissent with an assault on rights and freedoms’ - Denis Krivosheev

Responding to the arbitrary arrest earlier today of over 400 people peacefully protesting in Moscow about the treatment of the recently-released Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, said: 

“Today’s arbitrary and often brutal arrests of over 400 peaceful protesters - including children - are a perfect example of the cruel repression that brought protesters to the streets in the first place. 

“Amnesty International observers witnessed police violence and recorded complaints of detainees being beaten. 

“Yet again, the Russian authorities met peaceful dissent with an assault on rights and freedoms.

“We are calling on the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release those peaceful protesters arrested today, and respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”