Russia: Police raid prominent opposition leader's office

Russia police on Friday raided one of the offices of main opposition leader Alexei Navalny as critics accuse Putin government of increasing efforts to stiffle dissent. 

Alexander Golovach, a lawyer working for Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK), shared a video on social media of cops arriving at their offices in southern Moscow.

Also read | US, Britain, Canada accuse Russia of hacking Covid-19 vaccine research

Navalny said he had been banned from leaving Moscow due to a new criminal case registered against him. 

He added the ban was imposed on him to prevent his campaigning across the country ahead of the regional polls in September. 

Also read | Fact-check: Has Russia really found coronavirus vaccine?

The 44-year-old said he was being interrogated as part of a new investigation for suspected slander over comments he made on social media. 

The Investigative Committee, which probes important cases, in June suspected Navalny of defaming a World War II veteran. 

Navalny's offices have been constantly raided by Russian enforcement agencies and several criminal probes were made against him. 

Recently, Kremlin critics slammed the Russian government of ramping up its efforts to bury critcism after President Vladimir Putin won a mandate to amend Constitution that will open the door for him to stay im power until 2036.

This week Moscow police detained about 150 people who participate in the city centre march against the constitutional amendments.

(With AFP inputs)