MOSCOW — Russia's top investigative agency says it has arrested two opposition activists over their role in a violent protest in May.
The agency said Thursday that Nikolai Kavkazskiy and Alexei Polikhovich will be charged with taking part in riots. Authorities have charged 16 people over the riot, 14 of whom are in custody.
Opposition activists and rights groups have called the arrests a part of a widening government crackdown on dissent that followed Vladimir Putin’s election to a third presidential term in March.
Putin has toughened his line against the opposition after a series of protests against his rule during the winter that drew up to 100,000 people in an unprecedented challenge to his 12-year rule.
