Moscow elections- Canada gravely concerned about protester detentions

Canada's government said on Monday it is worried that the Russian police detained more than 1,000 people in Moscow over the weekend around a protest to demand opposition members be allowed to run in a local election.

"Canada is gravely concerned 1000+ peaceful protesters were detained in advance of upcoming #Moscow elections," Canada's foreign ministry said on Twitter. "Freedom of assembly and expression are fundamental rights & enshrined in (the Russian) constitution. We call on #Russian authorities to respect these rights & refrain from violence."

The Saturday crackdown was one of the biggest in recent years against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin's tight grip on power.

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