MOSCOW — Russia on Wednesday banned a shaman from leaving his Siberian hometown after he was detained during a second attempt to hike to Moscow on what he has called a mission to banish President Vladimir Putin from the Kremlin. Alexander Gabyshev became a media curiosity when he set off in March on a more than 8,000-km (4,970-mile) walk to Moscow, a journey he said would culminate with him driving out Russia's leader whom he described as a demon. The trek was cut short after police detained him on a road in eastern Siberia for an unspecified crime. Amnesty International condemned his arrest and human rights activists said Gabyshev was being investigated for alleged extremism. It said Gabyshev "should be free to express his political views and exercise his religion just like anyone else", and that his detention was "grotesque".

Source: International New York Times December 11, 2019 13:41 UTC