Russian police make arrests as protest moves to regional capital

FILE PHOTO: Law enforcement officers disperse the crowd during a rally in support of activist Fail Alsynov, who was charged with inciting ethnic hatred and sentenced to four years in a prison colony, near a court building in Baymak in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, in this still image from video published January 17, 2024. RusNews via REUTERS/File Photo

(Reuters) - Hundreds of supporters of a jailed rights activist staged a protest on Friday in the capital of Russia's Bashkortostan republic and police detained at least seven people, a Russian news outlet reported from the scene.

The gathering in the city of Ufa took place in defiance of the region's leader, Radiy Khabirov, who has warned of tough action against what he called extremists and traitors.