Veteran rights activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva, 82, held during anti-Kremlin protest

Published on Thursday 31 December 2009 21:42

DOZENS of people, including Lyudmila Alexeyeva, 82, one of Russia's most respected rights activists, were arrested at an anti-Kremlin protest yesterday.

She was among those seen being pushed into four buses as police broke up the protest at a central Moscow square.

She had arrived dressed as the Snow Maiden, the companion of Grandfather Frost. Police had forbidden the protest on the grounds that it would interfere with New Year festivities.

Small groups of demonstrators shouted "Freedom" or "End Putin's Reign" before being detained or pushed away from the square.

Since coming to power ten years ago, Vladimir Putin – first as president, then as prime minister – has rolled back many democratic achievements of the 1990s.

The protest was a repeat of those on 31 July, August and October – a nod to the 31st article of the Russian constitution, which guarantees the right of assembly.

City authorities banned all the protests and sent police to break them up. But this is the first time they have detained Ms Alexeyeva, a leading Soviet dissident who has continued to lead the fight for democracy and human rights in Russia. She was among this year's recipients of the European Union's top human rights award.

Opposition leader Eduard Limonov was detained as he approached the square, as he has been ahead of previous protests, according to activists. He spent ten days in jail in November on charges of organising the 31 October protest and resisting arrest.

Yesterday's protest ended after an hour when 40 riot police joined hundreds of city police to clear the square.