White House Calls on Russia to Release Protesters

The White House is calling on Russia to immediately release all peaceful protesters arrested over the weekend during a large anti-government demonstration.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the U.S. "strongly condemns the detention of hundreds of peaceful protesters throughout Russia on Sunday."

Spicer on Monday read a State Department statement calling the detentions "an affront to essential democratic values."

Spicer says people everywhere deserve a transparent and accountable government, as well as "the ability to exercise their rights without fear of retribution."