Russian human rights groups have appealed to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev-touted as Russia's next president-over the detention of four anti-Kremlin activists, warning it could lead to "student unrest."
"We call on you to use your... indisputable authority as a deputy prime minister and presidential candidate to stop youthful discontent snowballing into lawlessness and unrest," the rights groups said in an open letter Tuesday.
President Vladimir Putin earlier this month gave his backing to Medvedev's candidacy for president, making him an instant favourite to win the election because of Putin's high popularity ratings.
The four activists were detained on Sunday during a court hearing where they were supporting four other campaigners held at a rally to protest against the forcible conscription of an anti-Kremlin activist into the army despite his student exemption.
The statement said the four latest activists to be detained would also be put on trial and said "this never-ending story will clearly continue and we will have student unrest instead of something resembling justice".
Signatories of the open letter included the director of the Moscow Helsinki Group, the head of the Glasnost Defence Foundation, and a leader of the Union of Right Forces opposition party.
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