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Opposition Rally Approved for July 26

Moscow authorities have sanctioned a rally in support of those arrested in the wake of a May 6 rally that turned violent, pictured here. Igor Tabakov

Moscow authorities gave approval Wednesday for an opposition demonstration in support of activists jailed on suspicion of clashing with police at a May 6 rally at Bolotnaya Ploshchad, event organizers said.

The rally is set to be held July 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. in a park near Pushkinskaya metro station. City Hall approved the attendance of up to 1,500 people, Interfax reported.

Rally co-organizer and opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov wrote Wednesday on Twitter that demonstrations in support of "political detainees" will be held July 26 in dozens of cities in Russia and abroad.

Police have detained and questioned dozens of activists who took part in the sanctioned May 6 rally, which ended in violent clashes with police.

Dozens of people who attended have been questioned in connection with the case, which currently has at least 14 suspects, 11 of whom are being held in pretrial detention.

Two opposition activists, Anastasia Rybchenko and Alexander Dolmatov, fled the country out of fear of imprisonment after being investigated in connection with the case.

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