Protests over the Sochi Games, Feb. 1, 2014

One week ahead of the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, protests over different aspects of the Games took place in various cities around the surrounding Caucasus region, as well as in Paris, France, on Saturday, Feb. 1:

• In Sochi, the local branch of the Communist party staged the first official protest in the designated area, 12 km from the site of the Games.

• In Tbilisi, Georgia, which is located 290 miles (460 kilometers) from Sochi, protesters called for a boycott of the Games.

• In Ankara, Turkey, demonstrators protested the upcoming winter Olympics outside the Russian embassy in that city; the demonstrators allege the Games are being used to cover-up alleged human rights abuses in Russia.

• In Paris, France, activists staged a colourful protest recreating the Olympic rings and condemning alleged Russian human rights violations ahead of the Games.

Here are images from the various protests held Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014.