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Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny
Photo:
Pavel Golovkin / dpa
The Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was arrested a week ago on his return to Russia.
Now the authorities are targeting the Kremlin critic's apartment.
In Moscow, masked officers broke into the apartment, writes Navalny confidante Ivan Zhdanov on Twitter.
Navalny's brother Oleg is present in the apartment.
Navalny was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on January 17 after his return from Germany.
On February 2, Navalny was supposed to answer for allegations that he violated the conditions of a suspended sentence imposed in 2014.
The sentence could then be commuted to imprisonment.
A poison attack was carried out on Navalny on August 20.
He was then brought to Germany for treatment.
Navalny's confidante Leonid Volkov described the FSB as a »poisoner«.
Navalny himself had blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the poison attack.
Talking about the role of the presidential administration, Volkov said that "the decisions" would be made there as to whether Navalny would "go to prison or be released."
On Saturday tens of thousands of people in numerous cities in Russia demanded the release of Navalny.
According to a count by the non-governmental organization OWD-Info, almost 3900 participants in the rallies were arrested.
Navalny supporters are calling for new protests
Supporters of the Kremlin critic have again called for demonstrations for next Saturday.
In a Facebook message that was circulated on Tuesday, the organizers announced meetings that would take place simultaneously at 12 noon local time in front of the FSB headquarters and on Staraja Square.
"Then we'll go through Moscow," the appeal continues.
"We will determine our route depending on the situation."
The G7 countries have also sharply criticized the arrest of Navalny and demanded his immediate release.
"We, the G7 foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America as well as the High Representative of the European Union, jointly condemn the politically motivated arrest and imprisonment of Alexej Navalny," it said in one statement released Tuesday evening.
Navalny should be released "immediately and without preconditions", Russia must adhere to international obligations and respect human rights.
The use of chemical weapons against an opposition politician, as demonstrated in the Navalnys case, undermines "democracy, independent voices and political pluralism in Russia."
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