Russian opposition vows new protests
The Russian opposition has vowed new protests after a leading activist was given a fresh jail sentence following nationwide protests against the allegedly fraudulent parliamentary election.
Sergei Udaltsov, who leads the extreme-left wing Left Front Movement, has been jailed for the 14th time this year to finish a sentence he did not fully complete after being arrested at a demonstration in October.
Udaltsov, who had already served 15 days for taking part in a protest in Moscow against the parliamentary elections, saw barely half an hour of freedom on Sunday before being sentenced to 10 more days in jail.
The decision by a Moscow court to jail Udaltsov again came one day after tens of thousands of Russians took to the streets participating in the second nationwide protest against the allegedly fraudulent parliamentary election held on December 4.
More than 100,000 people took part in the largest protest rally in Russia's post-Soviet history on Saturday calling for a disputed election to be held again.
In the vote, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party, United Russia, won nearly 50 percent, but saw a reduction in support as it lost a quarter of its seats in parliament.
Putin has accused the United States of encouraging and financing protesters.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is reportedly due to become prime minister under a prospective Putin presidency in March 2012 -- a job swap bitterly criticized by the opposition.
Putin's presidency ended in 2008 after two consecutive terms because the Russian constitution prevented him from running a third term, however he will be free to run again in 2012.
Udaltsov, who had already served 15 days for taking part in a protest in Moscow against the parliamentary elections, saw barely half an hour of freedom on Sunday before being sentenced to 10 more days in jail.
The decision by a Moscow court to jail Udaltsov again came one day after tens of thousands of Russians took to the streets participating in the second nationwide protest against the allegedly fraudulent parliamentary election held on December 4.
More than 100,000 people took part in the largest protest rally in Russia's post-Soviet history on Saturday calling for a disputed election to be held again.
In the vote, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party, United Russia, won nearly 50 percent, but saw a reduction in support as it lost a quarter of its seats in parliament.
Putin has accused the United States of encouraging and financing protesters.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is reportedly due to become prime minister under a prospective Putin presidency in March 2012 -- a job swap bitterly criticized by the opposition.
Putin's presidency ended in 2008 after two consecutive terms because the Russian constitution prevented him from running a third term, however he will be free to run again in 2012.
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