Sergei Mitrokhin and activists
detained at the “walking protests” by the State Duma
Press Release
May 22, 2012
Several YABLOKO activists were detained by police during
“walking protests” conducted by YABLOKO by the State Duma
this morning. The police detained YABLOKO Chairman Sergei
Mitrokhin and Kirill Gontcharov, leader of the Youth Yabloko,
and three other activists of the party.
All the detainees were holding banners running “A ban on
rallies is a path to a revolution”. Each banner also contained
an explanation that it was an announcement for a YABLOKO’s
rally coordinated with the Moscow government and scheduled
on May 27. Russian law envisages such propaganda.
Sergei Mitrokhin called the police actions be absolute lawlessness,
as the activists were detained at a legal action which did
not require a special approval. "The police actions have
proved once again how dangerous the adoption of the amendments
[on raising fines of rallies] are to all of us,” Mitrokhin
said. He noted that the parliament wanted to set impossibly
high fines for violations at the rallies which would deprive
people of an opportunity to peacefully express their views.
"This may push people to an armed rebellion,” he said.
The action involved a few dozens of people.
On May 27 party YABLOKO will hold a rally against tougher
penalties for violations at public events under the slogan
"No to repressive amendments to the law on rallies".
The action has got a permission from the Moscow authorities.
