Tens of thousands of people demonstrated on the streets of Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East on Saturday, according to local media, in support of the regional governor arrested this week and charged with murder.
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A Moscow court decided on Friday to detain 50-year-old Sergei Fourgal until September and arrested Thursday, awaiting trial for the murders of several businessmen committed 15 years ago.
The governor of Khabarovsk, elected to everyone's surprise in 2018 under the label of the nationalist LDPR party with almost 70% of the votes, ousting the candidate of United Russia, the Kremlin party, " categorically and totally rejects the accusations ", lawyer Boris Kojemiakine, quoted by the TASS news agency, said on Friday.
The LDPR supported Mr. Fourgal and said on Saturday that " 35,000 people took to the streets " in Khabarovsk to protest against his arrest. Local news site DVHab.ru called the rally " the largest in the history of Khabarovsk ", adding that the procession occasionally blocked traffic in this city of more than 600,000 inhabitants.
The demonstrators chanted “ Freedom ”, “ Moscow, go! "And" Sergei Fourgal is our choice ", according to images published on the site. Some have brandished " We are Sergei Fourgal " signs , according to DVHab.ru, which estimates the number of demonstrators between 20 and 30,000. Local supporters of Alexei Navalny, the main opponent of the Kremlin, said the protest had attracted up to 40,000 people, a number described as an " absolute record " in the region.
Other protest actions have been reported in smaller towns in the region. After this arrest, much publicized, the LDPR threatened to leave the Parliament and to resign the other governors elected under his label in several regions. As of Saturday, more than 40,000 people have signed an online petition in support of Mr. Fourgal.