Russian police on Wednesday detained opposition leader Alexei Navalny and at least 35 other persons at a Moscow protest calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist Ivan Golunov, who was detained by police, accused of drug offences and later freed from house arrest, in Moscow, Russia.
Police abruptly dropped drugs charges a day earlier against Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who said he was framed for his reporting.
His supporters decided to go ahead with a protest on Wednesday, a public holiday in Russia, despite being warned by the authorities that their demonstration would be illegal.