Russia: nearly 5,000 arrested at renewed protests demanding release of Navalny. Photo, video

Protests demanding the release of the arrested opposition leader Alexei Navalny were held on January 31 across Russia.

The authorities mobilized the police and the Russian Guard and detained the protesters en masse.

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OVD-Info reported more than 4,500 arrests today – 1,500 more than the arrests on January 23. There were numerous reports of police using tasers to weaken arrestees.

Among the detainees are journalists and photojournalists.

In Moscow, the authorities closed the city center in advance – metro stations did not work, vehicles and even pedestrians were not allowed there.

The Russian agency Roskomnadzor, which is responsible for regulating communications, issued a statement that all media that disseminate “incorrect” data on the number of protesters will be fined.

In Moscow, protesters headed for the Matrosskaya Tishina prison, where Navalny is being held.

Many protesters were detained there.

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