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In Russia, thousands of people still take to the streets against the condemnation of the opposition leader Alexej Navalny to several years in prison - and the police are increasingly resolute and tough on the demonstrators.
Human rights activists report that there have been more than 1,400 arrests since yesterday alone.
More than 1100 of them in Moscow.
Christina Hebel, DER SPIEGEL correspondent
“We see very clearly here in Moscow that the security forces are using deterrence.
The aim here is that people should not gather in larger groups under any circumstances, that pictures of thousands of demonstrators should again be spread over the Internet.
It was also significant here in Moscow to see how massive the security forces were.
We saw hundreds of the Omon special police who marched into the center before the verdict was pronounced, and who later walked through the center in rows of three or four looking for demonstrators. "
In the social networks, brutal and threatening scenes are shared thousands of times.
Christina Hebel, DER SPIEGEL correspondent
»There were very brutal scenes in an alley in the center where demonstrators were surrounded by security officers.
And even though they shouted, “We are without weapons,” they were severely beaten by the police officer.
Those were pictures that reminded me of Minsk.
You have to say: Yes, it reminds you of Minsk.
But dozens, hundreds of people were tortured in Minsk.
This is just another level of escalation.
Nevertheless, here in Moscow, liberal, critical and opposition circles are now talking about the fact that Minsk conditions began here. «
What is also new is that the press is no longer safe from violence by police units.
Christina Hebel, DER SPIEGEL correspondent
»Many of our colleagues, and we too, always wear neon yellow vests when we are on the road to protests.
Nevertheless, we have seen that colleagues have been arrested again and again, even a colleague was brutally hit on the head yesterday.
Those were pictures that I have never seen before and that frighten many people here too. "
The question now is whether Russian President Putin will succeed with his repressive measures against supporters of the opposition.
In total, the Russian police arrested more than 10,000 people during the protests over the past two weekends.
Christina Hebel, DER SPIEGEL correspondent
»I believe that this deterrent will work. Because people understand exactly what this violence means, and it could escalate further. I spoke to several people today who have participated in the protests over the past two weeks. And one part says: 'We're going even more now. That is pure arbitrariness. It's illegal. None of that works. 'But it's just the smaller part. And I'm curious to see how things will develop here when there are new protests and how many people will really come then. "
