Protests in Moscow

At least 20,000 people protested in Moscow on Sept. 29, demanding that the more than 1,000 people arrested during protests in July be released. The July protests were over upcoming city elections — which were held peacefully on Sept. 8 — in which a number of opposition and independent candidates had been removed from the ballot due to a technicality.

Despite the loss of several candidates, opposition parties won one-third of the city council seats previously held by United Russia, the ruling, Putin-allied party.

The Sept. 29 protests had been preapproved by Moscow’s mayor, and there were no reported arrests.