Russian Court Authorizes Detention of Two Anti-Putin Protesters

A Moscow court ordered the detention of two participants in a protest against President Vladimir Putin while investigators probe them on charges that carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Businessman Maxim Luzyanin and Andrei Barabanov, an unemployed man, are suspected of taking part in mass disturbances and using violence against police officers, the Investigative Committee said in a statement on its website. Moscow’s Basmannyi district court late yesterday ordered the two men to be detained until July 6, a court spokeswoman Ekaterina Korotova said by phone today.

An 18-year-old woman was placed under house arrest after a May 29 court order for “violent activity” at the same rally. Police detained hundreds of demonstrators after the May 6 violence, a day before Putin was inaugurated for his third term in the Kremlin. Dozens of protesters and about 30 officers were injured, according to estimates from both sides.

The Investigative Committee has opened several inquiries into the May 6 events, including one related to “organizing and participating in violent mass disturbances,” which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Meyer in Moscow at hmeyer4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Balazs Penz at bpenz@bloomberg.net