Russian activists have started gathering in the capital, Moscow, for a march in memory of Boris Nemtsov, an opposition leader murdered two years ago.Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister who became an outspoken critic of longtime President Vladimir Putin, was shot in February 2015 while walking across a bridge a short distance from the Kremlin with his Ukrainian girlfriend.At the time, Nemtsov, 55, was working on a report that he said proved Russia`s direct involvement in a separatist rebellion that has raged in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Russia has denied the accusations.Five men accused of murdering Nemtsov went on trial in October 2016.Some marchers on Sunday carried Nemtsov`s portraits, Russian flags and placards with slogans such as “Russia without Putin”.“It`s at times like this, particularly on the anniversary of Boris Nemtsov`s death, where you can kind of check in with the opposition and take the pulse of how [strong] the movement is,” Al Jazeera`s Rory Challands, reporting from the march, said.“What we are finding at the moment is that there is still obviously a good number of people devoted to the cause to keeping the idea of a more democratic, a more liberal Russia alive, but it`s an uphill struggle for these people. They are not the majority in the country.“Certainly when you get out of Moscow and St Petersburg, and into more rural parts of Russia, you find a population that`s much more conservative and satisfied with the current status quo.”Similar rallies to honour Nemtsov are to take place in cities across Russia, including St. Petersburg and his hometown of Nizhny Novgorod.A Moscow march to remember Nemtsov last year drew thousands of people, with officials saying about 7,500 protesters had taken part in the rally, while others put the figure closer to 20,000.The five men standing trial, who have been identified as ethnic Chechens, are accused of murder and arms trafficking and could face jail terms of up to eight years.Nemtsov`s killing shocked Russia`s already beleaguered and marginalised opposition. Suspicion in the opposition is rampant that the killing was ordered by the Kremlin in retaliation for his criticism of Putin.Russian officials have denied involvement in Nemtsov`s death. Putin has called the incident a “provocation”, suggesting Nemtsov was killed by one of Putin`s enemies to stoke discontent in Russia.Separately, prominent opposition activist Ildar Dadin was released on Sunday from a Siberian prison, after a court quashed a sentence that made him the only person convicted under a tough law against public protests.The 34-year-old emerged from a Siberian penal colony after 15 months behind bars for repeatedly holding unsanctioned rallies against Putin`s rule.Dadin, who was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, has complained of torture and abuse behind bars.“I will continue to fight against Putin`s fascist regime,” Dadin said in footage broadcast online by the independent Dozhd channel.“I will fight so that human rights are respected in Russia.”Source: Al Jazeera