Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest in support of the detained opposition figure Alexei Navalny, St Petersburg, Russia, 31 January 2021, Peter KovalevTASS via Getty Images January 2021 in Europe and Central Asia: A free expression round up produced by IFEX s Regional Editor Cathal Sheerin, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
January saw the arrest of Alexei Navalny spark massive protests across Russia and an incredibly brutal response by the authorities. It saw injustice continuing to flourish in Turkey and another blow against women in Poland. It was also a month of fairytales and aqua discos.
Record numbers arrested at Navalny-inspired protests