by Yoohwan Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MOSCOW, Russia – On Monday, May 31 the police cracked down on hundreds of protesters in two of Russia’s largest cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. The protesters’ called on the authorities and government officials to respect the people’s right to freedom of assembly, as stated in Article 31 of the Russian constitution. Since last year, Russia opposition groups have been holding rallies on the last day of each month to defend their right of assembly.
At least 1,000 people gathered in Triumfalnaya Square on Monday evening, located in central Moscow. The protesters chanted “Disgrace,” “Freedom,” and “Russia without Putin!” Soon after the rally began, the police intervened and violently broke up the protest. The police knocked down some of the protesters, beat them, and dragged them along the ground to the waiting police vans.
Triumfalnaya Square was occupied again on that night by 2,000 pro-Kremlin youths, from the Young Russia and Young Guard youth groups, who were hosting a patriotic concert. As the protesters began to gather and chant anti-government slogans, the music from the concert grew louder. A police official stated that the police had to use force after the protesters tried to disrupt the concert and block traffic. About 180 protesters were detained in Moscow.
- Photo: Russian police violently disperse rallies [Source: Courtesy of Reuters]
Police in St. Petersburg detained approximately 100 protesters after 300 members of the banned ultra-left National Bolshevik party gathered in the city center on Monday. Protesters chanted pro-democracy slogans, such as “Russia will be free.”
Government authorities have shown little tolerance in recent years for any kind of protests, and officials in Moscow and St. Petersburg have repeatedly banned attempts by activists and political opposition to hold rallies. According to Alexander Averin, an activist with The Other Russia opposition coalition, rallies in support of their right of assembly were held in 40 cities throughout Russia on Monday.
Two days before the protests in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin voiced his support for the people’s right to protest. He stated that public protests “don’t hinder but, on the contrary, help” the government. In addition, Putin said that the authorities should not “create impossible conditions for the expression of freedom of speech.” His remarks gave some activists hopes that officials and police might respond more peacefully to rallies and demonstrations. However, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, stated that his comments were distorted by the media and do not offer anyone the license to rally.
For more information, please see:
Moscow Times – 200 Protesters Detained 2 Days After Putin Backs Rallies – 01 June 2010
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – Over 200 Arrested at Russian Rallies for Freedom of Assembly – 01 June 2010
AFP – Moscow Police Violently Break Up Protest – 31 May 2010
Reuters- Police Crush Protests as Russia-EU Summit Opens – 31 May 2010
