Demonstrators marched in Khabarovsk on Saturday, the eighth straight day of public actions since the arrest on July 9 of the region’s governor.
Photo: Igor Volkov/Associated PressMOSCOW—Tens of thousands of people in Russia’s Far East marched in protests triggered by the arrest of a popular regional governor, but that have since morphed into a wave of growing dissatisfaction over social issues and the rule of President Vladimir Putin.
Saturday’s demonstrations marked the eighth consecutive day of public actions since the July 9 arrest of Sergei Furgal, the governor of Khabarovsk, for his alleged involvement in the murders of two businessmen and the attempted murder of another 15 years ago.
Mr. Furgal has denied any wrongdoing. Supporters believe he was targeted in part because of his 2018 gubernatorial victory over a Kremlin-backed candidate, which dealt a blow to the ruling party.
Since a referendum earlier this month endorsed changes to the country’s constitution that could potentially keep Mr. Putin in power for years to come, there has been a spate of detentions, arrests and raids of government opponents’ homes, triggering fears of a crackdown by authorities.
The arrest of Mr. Furgal has prompted residents in Khabarovsk to air other grievances, such as declining living standards and job losses in the wake of the coronavirus crisis that has infected more than 765,000 Russians nationwide, according to official government data published Saturday.
In Khabarovsk region, with a population of 1.3 million people and some 6,000 infection cases, the average income during the first quarter of this year was almost half that of workers in Moscow, according to official data. And around 12.2% of the population lives below the poverty line, a statistic equal to those living below the poverty line nationwide. Weather conditions are harsh there, with temperatures often soaring past 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer and dipping to minus 35 degrees in winter.
“Living conditions are difficult,” said Daniil Ermilov, an independent political consultant in Khabarovsk. “In recent years, most of the contention of residents in the Khabarovsk region have come down to the deterioration in the quality of life, the deterioration in the level of prosperity.”
Many residents say they feel abandoned by Moscow and that their grievances aren’t being heard.
“Of course, we are very worried about the fate of [Furgal], we really like him,” said Maria Sushkova, 27, a hotel worker who attended Saturday’s rally. But fighting for the governor’s cause “has become for the most part an occasion for a surge of discontent among citizens,” she said. “Certain feelings were present for a long time, but…an improper action on the part of the federal authorities led to the release of boiling dissatisfaction.”
This month’s referendum not only allows Mr. Putin to run twice more for president once his current six-year term expires in 2024, it promises certain social provisions, such as a guaranteed minimum wage and annual pension adjustments. It is those provisions, not support for Mr. Putin remaining in power, that likely pushed many of the region’s residents to vote in favor of the constitutional changes, analysts said. 62% of voters there approved the changes. Now people feel they have the grounds to demand their social rights, the analysts added.
Video posted on social media Saturday showed a flood of people, many wearing masks, marching down a main thoroughfare in Khabarovsk, the administrative center of the region. Braving 90-degree heat, many held banners and placards with statements such as “Freedom for Sergei Furgal,” and “Give us Furgal back.”
City officials put the number of rallygoers at 10,000, while local media estimated a crowd of up to 50,000 people. There were no reports of detentions, despite the fact that mass gatherings are still banned in Khabarovsk due to the coronavirus.
The Kremlin has denied that Mr. Furgal’s arrest is political and has said the case is a matter for the courts.
“The investigation claims that they have irrefutable evidence,” presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The Wall Street Journal on Friday. “Therefore, there is no [political] policy here. There is simply a very serious accusation. Whether this evidence will be supported by the court, we do not know yet.”
Mr. Peskov said the protests were unauthorized and cautioned that large gatherings could pose a health risk due to the coronavirus. Federal health officials also warned that the Khabarovsk region was continuing to see an increase in coronavirus cases. Authorities have said they are considering reinstating restrictions.
Such warnings fell on deaf ears for many of the thousands who gathered on Saturday, intent of having their voices heard.
“My attitude to Putin is extremely negative,” said Mikhail Potapenkov, 27, an IT systems administrator who attended the rally. “He seized power [by changing the constitution] and because of this the country can’t develop. Without a constant change of power, there can be no development.”
—Valentina Ochirova contributed to this article
Write to Ann M. Simmons at ann.simmons@wsj.com
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