Press Release, 27.02.2026

Ivan Bolshakov, a member of Yabloko’s Federal Political Committee, head of the party’s Analytical Centre, and the party’s representative to the Central Electoral Commission of the Russian Federation, received a response from Moscow Mayor’s Office to the Yabloko request to hold a rally in defence of Telegram in Moscow. The letter, signed by Andrei Zakharov, Deputy Head of the Moscow Department of Regional Security and Anti-Corruption, denied the rally due to COVID-19 restrictions in place in Moscow since 2020.

“Considering the current epidemiological situation, in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Moscow and basing on paragraph 2.6 of the Moscow Mayoral Decree of June 8, 2020 […] the ban on holding public events in Moscow remains in effect,” Andrei Zakharov stated.

Further down, the letter warned that if the rally were to take place, “organisers and other participants may be held accountable in accordance with the established procedure.”

It should be noted that the petitioners for the Moscow rally in defence of Telegram on February 18 were Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov, Federal Bureau member Ivan Bolshakov, and Moscow Yabloko Chairman Kirill Goncharov. Yabloko’s application submitted to Moscow Mayor’s Office requested approval for a rally with an estimated attendance of up to 5,000 people on 1 March. Judging by the date on Andrei Zakharov’s letter, the Moscow Mayor’s Office’s response was sent to Ivan Bolshakov on 20 February, but the letter only arrived a week later.

Meanwhile, it was reported the day before that police had visited Kirill Goncharov’s home in his absence, intending to conduct a “preventive conversation” with the politician. It is unclear whether the visit was related to the notice of the rally submitted to Moscow Mayor’s Office.

Ivan Bolshakov, to whom Andrei Zakharov sent the refusal, reminds that any public events are permitted in Moscow if the city or federal authorities are interested in such events:

“The Moscow Mayor’s Office employs a policy of double standards based on the principle of ‘to my friends, everything; to the rest, the law’. United Russia’s [the ruling party’s] Young Guard constantly holds rallies in front of European embassies, communists freely picket the Yeltsin Centre, and the authorities organise endless public celebrations and thousands-strong rallies dedicated to the acquisition of new territories. And only those with opposition views are still being attacked by the dangerous COVID-19.”

It should also be noted that today it was reported that a Yabloko rally in Irkutsk was denied approval: local authorities there initially permitted the event at an alternative site, but then changed their minds. The reason cited by the Irkutsk city administration in its official refusal was excessive public interest in Internet freedom.