Moscow authorities ban rally for jailed opposition leader

Moscow city authorities on Wednesday refused to give permission for a picket in support of jailed opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov, his wife Anastasia wrote in her blog. Around 3,000 people have signed up for the protest in central Pushkin Square on Thursday. Anastasia proposed going ahead with the event anyway but without posters, placards and slogans, or conducting a series of one-person pickets, which does not require “coordination” with - in effect permission from - City Hall. On Sunday, Udaltsov, leader of the Leftist Front movement, had his 15-day detention extended by another 10 days. He was arrested on December 4 for not serving out the full term of his previous administrative detention and escaping from hospital. Udaltsov went on a hunger strike in protest and was twice hospitalized during his detention. After his term was extended, he was taken to hospital again.