Russian opposition leader and former world chess champion Garry Kasparov failed in an appeal against his detention during a street protest at the weekend. He among dozens arrested during protests in Moscow and St Petersburg that were broken up by riot police using truncheons.
The arrest comes a week ahead of legislative elections.
According to AFP, Kasparov and one of his bodyguards were grabbed by riot police and forced into a police bus.
The bus then drove them away from the scene, where hundreds of opposition activists were in a tense stand-off with security forces.
"Freedom! Freedom!" supporters shouted as the bus left the scene.
Image: Kasparov shows the victory sign from a riot police bus.
Photgraphs: AFP/Getty Images
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