Russian Opposition Politician Yashin Detained After Serving Fourth Jail Term In A Row

Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin, who has been struggling to get registered for Moscow city council elections next month, has been detained immediately after serving his fourth consecutive 10-day jail term for organizing and attending unsanctioned rallies.

Yashin wrote on Facebook that he was detained on August 28 and "it looks like there will be a fifth jail term."

Since completing his first 10-day jail term after his initial arrest on July 29, Yashin has been rearrested three more times, receiving 10-day terms each time.

Election officials have refused to register the candidacies of dozens of independent and opposition politicians, including Yashin, for September 8 municipal elections on the grounds that they failed to obtain the required number of signatures.

In many cases, the authorities said that signatures presented were invalid or falsified, an allegation that many potential candidates reject.