Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized pro-Alexei Navalny protests over the weekend as a dangerous and illegal activity, as a new demonstration is set for next Sunday.
Putin, who did not use opposition leader Navalny‘s name, told students on Monday that no one should engage in illegal protest activity for political reasons, according to a report by Reuters.
“Everyone has the right to express their point of view within the framework provided by the law. Anything outside the law is not just counterproductive, but dangerous,” Putin said.
Putin cited the 1917 Russian Revolution and the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union as examples of how illegal action would result in misery to people.
Police detained more than 3,700 people and used force to break up demonstrations held across Russia on Saturday, demanding Navalny be freed from jail, where he is serving out a 30-day stint for alleged parole violations he’s denied. Among those arrested over the weekend was Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, who was detained near a Moscow protest.
Navalny, 44, is one of Putin’s most prominent critics and recently returned to Russia after spending months in Germany, recovering after being poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent. On regaining consciousness, Navalny vowed to return to Russia but was immediately arrested once he arrived.
Russian intelligence operatives are suspected of orchestrating the attack, but the Kremlin has denied responsibility.
Advisories for similar protests in the United States were posted, providing times and locations of demonstrations in support of the Russian dissident. Officials within the Biden administration have called for Navalny to be immediately released.
