Watchdog

Russian police have detained about two dozen opponents of President Vladimir Putin who tried to protest in Moscow and St. Petersburg against restrictions on freedom of assembly.

Opposition figure Eduard Limonov and at least 14 activists from his Other Russia group were detained when they tried to stage a protest on Moscow's central Triumph Square without permission from authorities.

At least seven protesters reportedly were detained in St. Peterburg.

Since 2009, activists have tried to hold protests on the last day of every month that has 31 days in order to draw attention to what they say is government suppression of the right to free assembly.

The right to assemble is enshrined in Article 31 of the Russian Constitution but frequently is denied as officials refuse to issue permits.

With reporting by Reuters and Interfax

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is criticizing the detention of a Macedonian journalist over an article he wrote in 2008.

Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE's representative on freedom of the media, says the detention of Tomislav Kezarovski is "excessive" and negatively impacts media freedom in the country.

Kezarovski, now an investigative journalist at the daily "Nova Makedonija," is serving 30 days in detention over the article he wrote for "Reporter 92" magazine. It identified a witness in a murder case.

Mijatovic said "journalists must be allowed to carry out investigative reporting of issues in the public interest" without the threat of imprisonment or being forced to reveal their sources.

She said even in cases of confidentiality or witness protection, the detention of journalists is “excessive."