Alexei Navalny, Putin's outspoken political rival, and his campaign manager have been jailed in Moscow and could be there during the March 18th election.
Navalny has been banned from running against Putin for president, but that has not stopped him from leading a vocal opposition.
CNN:
Navalny, the best-known political opponent of President Vladimir Putin, reported his detention in a series of tweets and said authorities had begun legal proceedings against him for organizing anti-government protests.
It's not clear when he might face court, but he could be jailed for a maximum of 30 days and could possibly still be in prison for the March 18 election.
(...)
The activist said on Twitter that he was detained by seven people as he came out of a dentist's office after receiving treatment for a toothache.
In 2014, Putin signed into law tough restrictions on protests and public gatherings.
Navalny has risen to prominence in recent years by posting investigative stories online about the alleged corrupt practices of Russia's elite.
Authorities recently shut down his website as well as several social media accounts.
Navalny is asking Russians to boycott the upcoming election for being rigged in Putin's favor.
Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny could spend election in jail (CNN)