Pekka Haavisto (Green) has called on Russia to release peaceful demonstrators arrested on Saturday.
Police detained more than 3,000 people and used force to break up rallies across Russia on Saturday as tens of thousands of protesters ignored extreme cold and police warnings to demand the release of opposition leader
Alexei Navalny.
He was detained a week earlier as he returned to the country following an attempted poisoning there in August. Those arrested on Saturday included his wife,
Yulia Navalnaya.
Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Green)
Image:
Tiina Jutila / Yle
In a tweet on Saturday evening, Haavisto said: Todayâs arrests of peaceful protesters in Russia, including Yulia Navalnaya, are not acceptable. Those detained should be released. Safety and working conditions of journalists should also be guaranteed.