Quieting Kremlin Critics

The crowd in Moscow on November 24 was variously estimated at between 1,000 and 3,000 people - A loose alliance of groups called Other Russia organized the rally in the capital to call for an end to Vladimir Putin's hold on power and to urge fair elections

1 The crowd in Moscow on November 24 was variously estimated at between 1,000 and 3,000 people - A loose alliance of groups called Other Russia organized the rally in the capital to call for an end to Vladimir Putin's hold on power and to urge fair elections

Participants wrapped up the formal meeting in Moscow before many began a march to deliver a message to the Central Election Commission - The weekend demonstrations and the official response come just a week ahead of Duma elections that Putin's Unified Russia is expected to dominate

2 Participants wrapped up the formal meeting in Moscow before many began a march to deliver a message to the Central Election Commission - The weekend demonstrations and the official response come just a week ahead of Duma elections that Putin's Unified Russia is expected to dominate

The Central Election Commission has barred Other Russia candidates from the December elections - The Dissenters' Marches have brought together otherwise disparate political groups who oppose Vladimir Putin's unrelenting grip on power

3 The Central Election Commission has barred Other Russia candidates from the December elections - The Dissenters' Marches have brought together otherwise disparate political groups who oppose Vladimir Putin's unrelenting grip on power

A commander girds his security forces, who are on hand to block marchers' path to the Central Election Commission building in Moscow on November 24 - Putin has said he will use Unified Russia to preserve influence, and a seemingly well-orchestrated campaign has emerged that professes millions of Russians' support for Putin to remain in power as "national leader"

4 A commander girds his security forces, who are on hand to block marchers' path to the Central Election Commission building in Moscow on November 24 - Putin has said he will use Unified Russia to preserve influence, and a seemingly well-orchestrated campaign has emerged that professes millions of Russians' support for Putin to remain in power as "national leader"

Special forces arrest long-time activist and For Human Rights leader Lev Ponomarev in Moscow on November 24 - The OSCE's election monitors have said they will not be observing the December 2 vote because the Russian government made it almost impossible for them to operate. The Kremlin blamed the OSCE for not filling out the correct forms

5 Special forces arrest long-time activist and For Human Rights leader Lev Ponomarev in Moscow on November 24 - The OSCE's election monitors have said they will not be observing the December 2 vote because the Russian government made it almost impossible for them to operate. The Kremlin blamed the OSCE for not filling out the correct forms

$A man wearing a vest identifying him as a member of the press is detained in the Moscow fracas - The Kremlin dismisses the marches as a stunt aimed at attracting Western attention and says the demonstrators are a mixed bag of marginal politicians with little public support$

6 A man wearing a vest identifying him as a member of the press is detained in the Moscow fracas - The Kremlin dismisses the marches as a stunt aimed at attracting Western attention and says the demonstrators are a mixed bag of marginal politicians with little public support

Other Russia leader Garry Kasparov was among those detained in Moscow on November 24; he was given five days in jail for organizing the rally and resisting arrest - A recent RFE/RL poll suggested that nearly two-thirds of voting-age Russians do not think December's Duma elections will be conducted honestly, while fewer than one in five thinks the results will reflect the true will of the electorate

7 Other Russia leader Garry Kasparov was among those detained in Moscow on November 24; he was given five days in jail for organizing the rally and resisting arrest - A recent RFE/RL poll suggested that nearly two-thirds of voting-age Russians do not think December's Duma elections will be conducted honestly, while fewer than one in five thinks the results will reflect the true will of the electorate

OMON special forces made themselves conspicuous near Yabloko's local headquarters in St. Petersburg on November 25 - Police have broken up several so-called Dissenters' Marches in the past year, beating demonstrators with truncheons and detaining many

8 OMON special forces made themselves conspicuous near Yabloko's local headquarters in St. Petersburg on November 25 - Police have broken up several so-called Dissenters' Marches in the past year, beating demonstrators with truncheons and detaining many

Opposition party members began their efforts in St. Petersburg on November 25 outside the local offices of Yabloko - Opposition organizers had warned that agents provocateurs might try to spur the police into action

9 Opposition party members began their efforts in St. Petersburg on November 25 outside the local offices of Yabloko - Opposition organizers had warned that agents provocateurs might try to spur the police into action

Arrests began in St. Petersburg as soon as marchers departed for their planned destination - St. Petersburg authorities had not granted permission for the November 25 march, and the ranks of eventual protesters were dwarfed by those of riot police

10 Arrests began in St. Petersburg as soon as marchers departed for their planned destination - St. Petersburg authorities had not granted permission for the November 25 march, and the ranks of eventual protesters were dwarfed by those of riot police

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Quieting Kremlin Critics