Russian Police Arrest Blogger and Several Others on Charges of Violence During Protests

On Thursday, Russian police raided the home of Vyacheslav Maltsev, a well-known Russian video blogger, and detained him for questioning, transferring him to Moscow. In addition to Mr. Maltsev, several others have also been arrested on charges of violence during recent opposition protests. Mr. Maltsev, who failed in last year's parliamentary elections, was live-streaming videos from his apartment in Saratov, central Russia, when the police arrived. His videos typically attract around 100,000 viewers daily. The scene of Mr. Maltsev's arrest was filmed, showing a police investigator along with several riot officers asking him to get dressed and accompany them to Moscow for questioning. The opposition party, PARNAS, for which Mr. Maltsev was the second candidate on their electoral list in the September parliamentary elections, stated that he suffered a heart attack before boarding the plane. Russian news agencies report that he is under medical care, and the reason for his questioning is an alleged attack on a police officer during last month's opposition protests in Moscow. Interfax reported that a representative of the new opposition movement in Russia announced that Mr. Maltsev has not yet been allowed to have a defense lawyer. The March 26 protests, one of the largest opposition gatherings in recent years in Russia, were not banned by the government. The Russian Investigative Committee announced on April 13 that four people were arrested on charges of attacking a police officer during the protests, with several others being questioned. The committee added that all four arrested men are aged between 30 and 40. Interfax reported that the police also searched the residences of the protest organizers, and both individuals were released shortly after. The anti-corruption protests were called by Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition figure, following reports about Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister, controlling luxury property transactions through a shell foundation. Alexei Navalny described the police investigation regarding the alleged attack by protesters on a police officer as 'fabricated.' He has announced his intention to run in next year's presidential elections and has called for another round of protests on June 12. The Russian government has a history of detaining and prosecuting opposition figures following any anti-government protests. Police investigations and judicial actions regarding the May 6, 2012 protests led to the arrest and trial of dozens of individuals on charges such as 'throwing lemons.' Many of those targeted that year were imprisoned for years or forced to flee the country.