Press Release, 09.12.2015

On 12 December, the day of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, YABLOKO will hold pickets in Pushkin Square in defense of the country’s fundamental law. The Soviet dissidents held their first rally in defense of the Constitution in this square in December 1965. YABLOKO party leader Sergei Mitrokhin will take part in the action.

The action will be held under the same slogan as 50 years ago: “Respect Our Constitution!” The participants will line with posters from Pushkin Square along Tverskaya Street in the direction of the Kremlin. The posters will contain the articles of the Constitution that are either violated or neglected.

YABLOKO has applied to the Moscow authorities for the permission (as required by the law) to hold the action either in Puskin or Triumphalnaya Sqaures, however the Mayor’s office denied YABLOKO the permission to conduct the picket.

Sergei Mitrokhin said that such a refusal from the Mayor’s office was symbolic, “They are telling the citizens who are going to mark the anniversary of the Russian Constitution that there will be preparation for the celebration of the New Year at this place. Such priorities of the officials clearly indicate why the Constitution does not function in Russia.” The refusal of the Mayor’s office was accompanied by a proposal to hold the pickets in Devichiye Pole [where no one will see it].

“This is the same mockery as the proposal to conduct it in Marino,” Sergei Mitrokhin said. He also noted that YABLOKO’s choosing popoular Pushkin Square in the centre of Moscow was not accidental and was conditioned by historical events there. On 5 December, 1965, the Day of the Constitution of the USSR, the first in the USSR rally under the slogans of protection of human rights took place in this square. One of the slogans of the Soviet dissidents was: “Respect the Soviet Constitution!”

“Our country has seen so many events and changes in 50 years, however, now in 2015 we have to go out with the same slogan as Soviet dissidents in 1965, because this slogan is still urgent now”, Sergei Mitrokhin noted.

The pickets will be held in Pushkin Square on 12 December at 12:00.