At least seven detained as protesters brave cold in eastern Russia

At least seven people were detained on Saturday as Russian authorities cracked down on waning protests against the arrest of a governor in the eastern Russian district of Khabarovsk, reported the citizen's initiative Owd-Info.

It was the 23rd consecutive protest against the July arrest of former governor Sergei Furgal, on suspicion of involvement with a 15-year-old contract murder.

The protests drew huge crowds in the initial months after Furgal's detention, but only about 80 turned out on Saturday, possibly because temperatures had dipped sharply below zero.

Furgal has denied all charges against him. The protesters who back him say the charges are politically motivated as he is not beholden to the Kremlin and are demanding a fair trial.

They are also demanding that Moscow, which is 6,000 kilometers away, reduce its influence on the region and allow it more independent decision-making.