Yashin, a prominent member of the People’s Freedom Party, was briefly taken into custody after speaking at a party gathering on the street near Moscow’s Babushkinskiy metro station, Russian news agency Interfax reported.
A video of Yashin’s detention shows him being approached by a man in plain clothes flanked by several men in police uniforms. The man identifies himself as a police officer before the uniformed men take Yashin away by the arms and into a police car.
Yashin was held for several hours at Babushkinskiy station before being released, he said on his Twitter account. He said he was charged with "'illegal participation' in a gathering with voters."
Police did not respond to a request from OCCRP for comment.
Yashin on Tuesday released a 66-page report alleging deep connections between United Russia and organized crime and corruption.
