Press Release, 25.03.2026

Photo by Alexander Weinstein, Kommersant

Vitaly Zubenko, Deputy Chairman of Yabloko’s regional branch in the Stavropol Territory, Yabloko branch instructor and party member Yelena Gavrilova, and local branch Chairman Yevgeny Golovashchenko have submitted an application to the Stavropol city administration for a “Free Internet” rally.

The stated goal of the event is “expressing a civic position in defence of citizens’ constitutional rights in the digital environment,” as set out in the notification of the rally:

“We stand for a free, accessible and open Internet, and against the mass blocking of messaging applications and social media platforms. The event is necessary to draw the attention of the authorities and the public to the problem of restricting access to information.”

The proposed date of the event is 5 April, with up to 100 participants.

“Upholding citizens’ constitutional rights in the digital environment is a matter of concern for the entire country, not only for our region,” Vitaly Zubenko said.

“It is important to have alternative sources of information. We want the freedom to choose our own communication services and applications independently,” Yelena Gavrilova emphasised.

It should be noted that Yabloko representatives have previously submitted similar applications for “Free Internet” rallies in Moscow, Kazan, and twice in Irkutsk — first for 1 March, then for 29 March. In each case, the authorities refused the rallies on various grounds.

In Moscow, for instance, the city administration cited Covid-era restrictions prohibiting mass public events, although events organised by the Moscow administration continue to be held regularly. In Kazan, the authorities claimed that the goal of the rally “could not yield an achievable result”. In Irkutsk, where party activists are now taking the city administration to court, the initial refusal was that citizens were showing “too great an interest in the issue” of Internet blocking, followed by a subsequent refusal on the alleged grounds that the rally’s goals were “unclear”.