Supporters of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny gathered in cities and towns across the country on December 24, where they publicly voted to nominate the Putin critic as a candidate in the upcoming March 2018 presidential election.
Navalny is currently prohibited from running for political office due to a criminal record stemming from 2013 embezzlement charges he and his supporters claim were politically motivated. His sentence was condemned in February 2016 by the European Court of Human Rights, which said Navalny’s right to a fair trial had been violated.
Furthermore, Russia’s Supreme Court overturned Navalny’s sentencing on November 16, sparking discussion of his potential to run against Putin.
Navalny, bolstered by the December 24 votes, was expected to submit candidacy application documents to Russia’s Central Electoral Commission later that day. However, despite the supreme court’s decision, the commission was expected to reject his application.
This footage is described as showing pro-Navalny rallies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, and Yekaterinburg. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty via Storyful
