St. Petersburg Joins Activist Solidarity Protests

Participants in an unsanctioned march in St. Petersburg demonstrated solidarity with an activist who faced numerous obstacles when trying to see her dying daughter in a hospital. Police called on the protesters to disperse and reportedly detained seven of them. Rallies were held in several Russian cities on February 10 to condemn the conduct of authorities toward activist Anastasia Shevchenko. Shevchenko's daughter died on January 31, hours after authorities allowed her mother to be temporarily released from house arrest.