Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison, called on her late husband’s supporters to go to the polls at the same time and cast invalid votes. She urged the supporters to vote for any candidate other than Putin, to shred their ballot papers, or to write ‘Navalny’ in capital letters, adding that this action was safe and no one could be detained.
In response to her call, the Moscow prosecutor’s office published the following statement: “Obstructing the work of the election and election commission, organizing or arranging meetings, demonstrations, marches, and collective actions, and encouraging minors to participate in crime are punishable by imprisonment between 5 and 7 years.”
The Russian opposition media reported afterwards that many people were detained for participating in the protest in some regions, but the Navalny supporters did not give up the protest and continued to form long queues at the election centers.