Thousands rallied in Moscow
Dec. 30, in the face of a government
ban, to condemn the conviction of
opposition politician Alexei Navalny and his brother Oleg on frame-up fraud charges. Alexei Navalny was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years. His brother was sent to prison for that time.

The sentencing had originally been scheduled for Jan. 15 and opponents of the regime had announced a large protest. On Dec. 29 the government abruptly moved the hearing to the following day, making any protest actions around the verdict “illegal.” Pussy Riot released a video Dec. 30 urging people to attend a demonstration. Hundreds of riot police blocked off the area and arrested more than 100 people. Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina and others, inset, conducted an all-night protest in sub-freezing temperatures in a giant Christmas ball on Moscow’s Manezh Square, in front of the Kremlin. Police arrested and then released her and the other protesters.

Alexei Navalny, who has been under house arrest for nearly eight months, tried to attend the protest but was stopped by police.

The rally occurred amidst a mounting economic crisis in Russia. The worldwide fall of the price of oil — Russia’s major export — has sharply affected the economy, with the ruble declining some 50 percent. Economic sanctions imposed by Washington and other imperialist powers have also taken their toll, hitting working people the hardest.