In Russia, police arrested more than 260 people in cities across the country Sunday, as protesters defied a ban on rallies to call for an end to corruption and open elections on President Vladimir Putin’s 65th birthday. The rallies came after a court sentenced opposition leader Alexei Navalny to his third jail term this year, saying he’s ineligible to run for the presidency during an election next year. This is Alexei Pasternak, who joined a protest in the eastern city of Vladivostok.

Alexei Pasternak: “We must understand how important it is when those in power are replaced in an orderly way and how important it is to live without political persecution. We think it is wrong when a politician is regularly jailed for several days for some little things which police specially search for. So we came here to support Alexei Navalny. I cannot say that I support everything he does, but I think he is a real alternative for our country.”