MOSCOW -- Supporters of a Russian mayoral candidate who has been on a hunger strike for more than three weeks have rallied in the southern city of Astrakhan.
Anticorruption blogger Aleksei Navalny traveled from Moscow to Astrakhan to join the protest.
Oleg Shein from the leftist A Just Russia party lost to a candidate from the ruling United Russia party in the March 4 local elections, according to official results.
Shein claims the election was rigged, and began a hunger strike.
Around 20 people are now fasting in support of his cause.
Shein says he will continue his hunger strike until authorities call a recount or a rerun of the election.
Meanwhile in Moscow, Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov was detained at a picket in support of the Astrakhan hunger strikers.
Anticorruption blogger Aleksei Navalny traveled from Moscow to Astrakhan to join the protest.
Oleg Shein from the leftist A Just Russia party lost to a candidate from the ruling United Russia party in the March 4 local elections, according to official results.
Shein claims the election was rigged, and began a hunger strike.
Around 20 people are now fasting in support of his cause.
Shein says he will continue his hunger strike until authorities call a recount or a rerun of the election.
Meanwhile in Moscow, Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov was detained at a picket in support of the Astrakhan hunger strikers.