Blog post by Sergei Mitrokhin, 10.12.2015

These days we are celebrating a glorious albeit partially tragic jubilee.

Act of Bravery. 1965

On the 5th of December it turned exactly 50 years since the day when a large group of human rights defenders came out to Pushkin Square in order to protect the fundamental law of the country. The slogan of the action was a requirement of publicity in the trial over Andrei Sinyavsky and Yuli Daniel, whose “crime” had been in handing over their manuscripts for publication abroad. The action lasted only a few minutes, and then was dispersed by KGB officers.

The main slogan of the action was “Respect the Soviet Constitution!” meaning primarily people’s right to the freedom of expression. However, in a broad sense, it included all other rights. This slogan became a major denunciation of the lies and hypocrisy of the communist regime.

Déjà Vu. 2015

After 50 years, we see that in spite of perestoikas, coups and victories over the coups, the country has once again returned into the same situation: lies and hypocrisy. And the most important evidence, as it was 50 years ago, is the respect to the Constitution.

The Constitution has been again reduced to the level a doormat for the authorities to wipe boots on – and not only for the top authorities, for any level.

In Moscow, as always, [these authorities] behave in a particularly cynical way, lifting the bar of cynicism for other regions also to match it.

YABLOKO’s poster: Constitution of the RF, Article 19: The state shall NOT guarantee the equality of rights and freedoms

On the threashold of the Constitution Day YABLOKO submitted two applications [so that to conduct a picket for the protection of the rights stipulated in the Constitution] to the Mayor’s office. We were going to mark 12 December [the Constitution Day] by a picket in defense of the Fundamental Law and make posters mentioning specific articles of the Constitution that are being violated.

There were two application for two different places: Pushkin Square and Triumfalnaya Sqaure so that to reduce the reasons for refusal by half. It did not help.

We were denied both the sites with the motivation that it was needed to prepare the central squares of the city to New Year celebrations. Is the system of priorities clear now?

In return, they offered us to hold a picket on the square by the Yauza Gates. Very beautiful place. A nook. Right at the junction of the Moskva River with the Yauza River. In this garden on holidays they have been setting a firing gun for years: because there are several hundred meters to the nearest appartments block – the skyscraper on Kotelniki Embankment located on the other side of the Yauza River – and even if all the charges for salutes suddenly detonated, the damage would be minimal.

But a public event is so called, because it is designed to attract the attention of the public, not rare passers-by walking their dogs in a remote garden near the Yauza Gates.

The Committee for Protest Actions were sent [to rally] in [remote] Marino, and we were sent to a dog park. It is clear now what associations the officials have with the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

The Meeting Place Can Not be Changed

It seems to me that if we go picketing to that address, we would share with the officials their deep contempt for the Constitution, especially to Article 31, which guarantees the right to assembly. However, we will not violate the law, even a draconian law. One-person pickets with picketers standing in 50 meters from each other are yet allowed.

As for the place, it is not us who chose it, it was chosen by the human rights defenders 50 years ago. And it was Pushkin Square. A monument to the poet, who, as it is known even from the Soviet textbooks, was a friend of the Decembrists (Ed. The Decembirsts Revolt of 1825 demanded liberal reforms for Russia ) and denounced despotism.

While we have lawlessness and flouted Constitution in the country, the venue can not be changed.

YABLOKO’s poster: Respect the Constitution! 1965 – 2015