Russian police detain opposition protesters in Moscow

Russian police detained dozens of opposition protesters in central Moscow as they tried to hold demonstrations without permission. They were protesting against the jailing of political activists.

Liberal leader Nemtsov had said the rally on Pushkin Square did not need official sanction because it was a legal public meeting.

Nemtsov had announced the protest to demand the release of political prisoners, including businessman Alexei Kozlov, who was sentenced to five years for fraud last week in a retrial widely criticised by the opposition.