Press release: Foreign Office expresses concern about Russian protest arrests

The UK is concerned by the detention on 26 March of hundreds of Russian citizens following organised protests, which included journalists and opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russian citizens were exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. The UK calls on the government of Russia to release citizens detained during peaceful demonstrations, and to comply with its international commitments in the Council of Europe and the OSCE.