On May 6, 2012, a day before the start of President Vladimir Putin's third term as president, thousands of people protested on Moscow's Bolotnaya Square, accusing Putin and his party of electoral fraud and corruption. Police violently dispersed the gathering and detained hundreds of protesters, eventually handing down sentences of up to four years to a core group of activists. In the two years since the protest, the trial of the Bolotnaya detainees has become a focal point for opposition activists, who see the harsh police response as the onset of a widespread crackdown on freedom of assembly.
A Look Back At Bolotnaya, A Turning Point For The Russian Opposition
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Security forces stand guard near the protest.
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Protesters face off with security forces.
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"Another 6 years? No, thank you!"
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Riot police detain a protester.