Growing up in the 80s and being a half-decent chess player (that's not false modesty, I really was just half-decent), the name of Garry Kasparov was always familiar to me. For years he was famous as the greatest chessmaster in the world, and although history may remember him as the first chess champion to lose to a computer ('Big Blue' in 1997), this says more about the tremendous strides made by computer technology than it does about his undoubted talent.

More recently, he has become well-known as an opposition politician in Russia, a critic of the Putin regime. He has been active in support of 'Other Russia', a political coalition dedicated in opposition to what they regard as Putin's autocratic and anti-democratic direction. Two months ago, he was selected as Other Russia's candidate in the Russian Presidential elections, elections which will be for Putin's successor. Of course, Putin has every intention of making sure that he gets to choose who wins the race, and there is even speculation that Putin will take up the office of Prime Minister after his (constitutionally limited) term of office expires.

Today, during a rally attended by around 3,000 people, Garry Kasparov was forced to the ground, beaten and then detained by Russian police. He has been charged with resisting arrest and organising an illegal protest. Reports are that trouble began after protesters clashed with police; the protesters were attempting to protest outside the electoral commission, which has barred Other Russia's candidates from the upcoming elections.

That Putin would move so blatantly against a candidate for the Presidency, and one as well-known as Kasparov, is a sign of his determination to exercise political control at all costs. If there was any doubt, any doubt whatsoever that Putin is a dangerous anti-democrat, this should dispel that notion for good.

It is often said that Russia 'needs' a strong man to keep the vast country in line, or that the Russian people have a secret craving for such autocratic rule. Those who want to look away from what goes on in Russia will often use this excuse; it's not so bad, the people don't mind so why should we? Of course, it's hard to mind about the suppression of democracy when minding about this can get you arrested. And nobody dispelled this notion better than Kasparov himself, in this interview:

Watch the whole thing. This is a very brave man who deserves our full support.