At least nine protesters have reportedly been detained in Russia, after marching to show solidarity with an activist who was initially barred from seeing her dying daughter in hospital.

The demonstrations on Sunday, dubbed "Marches Of Maternal Anger", were held in Moscow and St Petersburg, with similar rallies reported in Kazan, Makhachkala, Kirov, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Yaroslavl and Oryol.

Anastasia Shevchenko, an activist from Rostov-on-Don, was placed under house arrest on 23 January, over her work with opposition movement Open Russia.

Her 17-year-old daughter was taken to a local hospital on 30 January after suffering a cardiac failure.

The activist requested permission to visit the teenager but said it was only granted hours before her daughter passed away, according to Radio Free Europe.

March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Police officers detain a protester during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A woman holds a stuffed toy during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 EPA March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Protesters scuffle with police officers during the march of maternal anger in Moscow EPA March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A woman holds a copy of Russia's constitution during a protest against the treatment a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A protester waves a sign at the march of maternal anger before being detained by police in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Police officers detain a protester during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Protesters march in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Police officers detain a protester during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 EPA March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A woman holds a stuffed toy as she marches against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 EPA

Ms Shevchenko faces charges under a 2015 Russian law against "undesirable organisations" and remains under house arrest.

She is the first person to face criminal prosecution under the law.

"Freedom to political prisoners," shouted protesters who gathered in Moscow.

"Our system has reached such a stage that it is fighting against single mothers with multiple children, against children," said Yulia Galyamina, a politician who organised the marches.

Small fights broke out during the Moscow protest after members of a pro-Kremlin group, South East Radical Block (SERB), tried to block the march.

SERB leader Gosha Tarasevich and Mikhail Kriger, an activist with the liberal Solidarnost movement, were both detained.

At least seven partcipants were also detained at a march in St Petersburg, after police officers told a crowd of 150 protesters to disperse.

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Many marchers refused to leave the rally.

"Many of my female friends who decided to go out to the streets with me this Sunday have the very same feeling: anger that we, too, have children and we, too, can be arrested at any moment,” Ms Galyamina said.