Russia
Freedom restrictions imposed on Kremlin critic Roisman
Yevgeny Roisman (centre) is led by police officers to a courthouse in Yekaterinburg. photo
© AP/dpa
The prominent opposition politician and former mayor of Yekaterinburg was arrested in Russia on Wednesday. Now Yevgeny Roisman is free again.
The prominent Russian opposition politician Yevgeny Roisman was released from prison the day after his arrest – albeit under strict freedom restrictions.
A court in the city of Yekaterinburg in the Urals, where Roisman was mayor until 2018, ruled on Thursday that the 59-year-old was not allowed to visit public places and events until the end of September. The regional news portal e1.ru reported that he was also not allowed to receive mail, make calls or use the Internet.
The investigations against him continue in time. Roisman is accused of allegedly spreading false news about the Russian army’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In Russia, there is a risk of many years in prison. Roisman, who was the last known anti-Kremlin opponent at large until his arrest, denies any guilt. “Everything will be fine in the end,” he said in the courtroom. “Those times don’t last forever.”
The opposition leader has a charitable foundation and an icon museum in Yekaterinburg and enjoys a great reputation in the metropolis. Despite the often harsh crackdown on demonstrators by the Russian security forces, some people took to the streets against Roisman’s detention on Wednesday evening, and several arrests were made.