Thousands defy ban on pro- Navalny rally in Russia

Thousands of people around Russia have joined unauthorised rallies to protest against the detention of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, reported British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Demonstrators are calling for Navalny, who has been on hunger strike for weeks, to receive proper medical care.

He was jailed in February and is demanding medical attention for acute back pain and leg numbness.

The largest demonstration was in Moscow, but others took place in major cities around the country, said the BBC report.

These included St Petersburg, Vladivostok in the Far East, a number of cities in Siberia, and the central city of Vladimir where Navalny is being held, the report added.

Click BBC to read the detail original report.