Kremlin says mass detentions at Navalny protests are not repressions
Police have detained thousands of people in recent weeks for taking part in rallies against Navalny’s jailing, according to a protest monitor

A participant holds a placard reading "One for all, all for one" during a rally in support of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Moscow, Russia January 23, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
The Kremlin on Thursday rejected allegations of Russian state repression against opposition politician Alexei Navalny's supporters and said police had made mass detentions because protesters broke the law by taking part in illegal rallies.
Police have detained thousands of people in recent weeks for taking part in rallies against Navalny's jailing, according to a protest monitor.