Russia has been facing massive protest by thousands
of demonstrators in Russia’s far eastern city of Khabarovsk have taken to the
streets, protesters are demanding the arrest of the region’s governor on
charges of involvement in multiple murders.
According to the media estimated the rally in the
city 6,100km (3,800 miles) east of Moscow on 1st august. About 15,000 people participated
in the protest.
Sergei Furgal, the wider region’s popular governor,
who was arrested on murder charges he denies. His supporters say was
politically motivated, has triggered weeks of street protests, creating a headache
for the Kremlin which is trying to tackle a sharp drop in real incomes as a
result of the corona virus outbreak and keep a lid on unrest as the economy
stutters.
According to the observers, Massive rallies in the
city of Khabarovsk on the border of china present a growing concern for the
kremlin, after President Vladimir Putin oversaw a controversial vote that
allows him to extend his hold on power until 2036.
Who is
Sergei Furgal?
Sergei Furgal, is 50 year old former business man. He
was elected in 2018 after defeating a candidate from the ruling party backing President
Vladimir Putin.
He is a member of the nationalist party LDPR which
generally loyal to the Kremlin.
Moreover his supporters describe him as energetic
and ready to listen. Locally his level of popularity rivalled Putin’s.
According to the some investigators Furgal of
ordering two contract killings and an attempted murder 15 years ago. And he is presently
being held in custody in Moscow.
Sergei’s unexpected victory in the gubernatorial
election reflected growing public frustration with president Putin’s and marked
a big setback for the main Kremlin party, United Russia.
According to the protestors the charges are politically
motivated and question why investigators waited so long to accuse a public
official who should have undergone background checks.
Russia’s main opposition leader Alexei Navalny
cheered the protests and posted a message on social media Instagram heralding
the city of Khabarovsk for refusing to believe Putin’s endless lies about the
justice of his courts and the honestly of his election.
What are
the protesters demanding?
According to the BBC, the arrest of the governed
has sparked resentment against the capital Moscow among people of the region as
they see it as a world away from here (Khabarovsk). Therefore, people are demanding
that Furgal be given a fair trials at his home soil in Khabarovsk.
According the Reuter’s report, the governor’s
arrest gas fuelled an eave of repression following the vote. The protests and
Furgal’s arrest have come after nearly 78% of Russians backed the
constitutional reforms that could keep Putin in power until 2036.
On the other hand some of members of the opposition
have denounced the vote and saw it as Putin’s attempt to say in power for life.
A Russian association Golos that carries out
independent election observation called the vote a “PR campaign” the purpose of
which was not to reveal the free will of citizens, but to form the necessary
perception of this will by the authorities.
What has
Moscow done to stop the protests?
Right after the protests spike in Russia, Moscow appointed
a new acting governor from Furgal’s LDPR party, Mikhail Degtyarev, after the
arrest of Furgal. However the 39-years old MP, known for proposing wacky bills,
has faced a chilly reception.
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