Russian police have arrested about 50 people who were planning an anti-government demonstration in Moscow. They included 82-year-old Ludmila Alexeeva who organised the protest.

She is a well-known human rights activist and was awarded the Sakharov prize by the European parliament this year. The demonstration had not been sanctioned by the authorities and hundreds of police officers were ready to take the protesters away in vans.

photo: Moscow police pick up a protester (ANP/EPA)