| MOSCOW, March 31, 2004 (RIA Novosti) - The Yabloko political
party staged an unauthorized picket near the State Duma (parliament's lower
house) on Wednesday morning.
Picketers were protesting against the draft law on rallies, meetings,
demonstrations, processions and pickets, which the Duma will discuss in
the first reading. Yabloko supporters demanded that MPs vote down the
bill. There were a total of 20 picketers, including Yabloko members and
the
party's supporters. The picket was led by Yabloko deputy leader Sergei
Mitrokhin. All public meetings, thus far, fall under the decree issued
by the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the former USSR in 1988 and
by the 1992 and 1993 presidential decrees. Organizers have to obtain permission
from a central government or a local self-government body. There are no
restrictions on the choice of a venue.
The new bill imposes major restrictions on the choice of a venue. They
will not be allowed to take place on territory adjacent to buildings housing
central or regional authorities, representations of other countries and
international organizations. Rallies and pickets near
hazardous production facilities, major thoroughfares and religious worship
buildings, etc., will be banned.
Duma DeputySpeaker Vyacheslav Volodin, a United Russia member, and other
members of this majority Duma faction, have already backed the the bill.
Venue restrictions are required owing to enhanced security measures, states
Mr Volodin. The Duma's minority factions - the Liberal Democrats, the
Communists and Motherland members, said they would not support the bill.
See also:
Human Rights
Freedom of Speech
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