UN ‘deeply disturbed’ by arrests of 'large number' of protesters in Russia

GENEVA

The UN human rights office on Tuesday said it is “deeply disturbed” by reports that a “large number” of people were arrested in Russia following the announcement of a partial troop mobilization.

In a news conference, Ravina Shamdasani, the UN rights office spokesperson, said that there are “credible reports” that some 2,377 demonstrators had been arrested in various parts of Russia since last Wednesday.

Shamdasani said that in the Russian region of Dagestan, protests continued for a second day on Monday, with hundreds of people taking to the streets of the region’s capital Makhachkala.

Clashes reportedly erupted between demonstrators and the police, and dozens of people were arrested in the protests against Russia’s war on Ukraine that began on Feb. 24.

“While the majority of the protests are reported to have been peaceful, military and administrative buildings, including enlistment offices, have been attacked in several regions,” said Shamdasani.

“We stress that arresting people solely for exercising their rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of liberty,” she said.

The UN Human Rights office called for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained and for the authorities to abide by international obligations to respect and ensure the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

“We also urge people to protest peacefully and avoid resorting to violence,” Shamdasani said.