Russian special police units officers detain a protester in St Petersburg, Russia on 23 January 2021 during a demonstration in support of Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Anatoly Maltsev) 
Lera Gudkova, the politician’s wife, confirmed the detention via Facebook and said his aunt was also being held in the case.
His detention comes amid a widening crackdown against opponents of President Vladimir Putin since Kremlin foe Alexey Navalny returned to Russia earlier this year.
Gudkov will be held for 48 hours during an investigation of unpaid rent for a commercial space from 2015 to 2017, Tass said, citing one of the people. He could face as much as five years in jail on the charges, according to Tass.
Earlier in the day, Andrey Pivovarov, the former executive director of Open Russia, told Ekho Moskvy radio station that he was detained after boarding a flight to Warsaw at St. Petersburg’s airport. Last week, Pivovarov said he was terminating Open Russia’s activities due to amendments to the law on undesirable organizations.