The ban on rallies has been ordered to be relaxed

The scandalous amendments to the law on rallies, which actually allow the authorities to prohibit any mass protests, will be significantly softened. According to Kommersant's information, United Russia leaders agreed on this last Friday at a meeting with Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Vladislav Surkov. Two United Russia deputies, who were among the authors of the sensational initiative, have already drawn the necessary conclusions from this meeting, having withdrawn their signatures on the bill.

As Kommersant reported on January 19, amendments to the law “On meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions and pickets” were introduced to the State Duma by deputies from all factions except the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. The draft, in particular, allows authorities to cancel already permitted mass rallies “if there is sufficient information about impending illegal actions,” as well as prohibit the holding of public events in the last two weeks before any elections and for two weeks after voting day.

The meeting with Mr. Surkov, held in the State Duma building, was attended by First Vice Speaker Oleg Morozov, who oversees ideological work in the party, Secretary of the Presidium of the General Council Vyacheslav Volodin and Head of the Central Executive Committee Andrei Vorobyov. At the end of the meeting, all of them refused to comment on its results. Only Mr. Volodin limited himself to reporting that bills were discussed that would be adopted during the spring session. A source in the faction apparatus explained to Kommersant that such meetings are held weekly (though usually in the Kremlin, and not on Okhotny Ryad) and at them not only the problems of lawmaking are discussed, but also the progress of the party’s preparations for the next Duma elections.

According to a Kommersant source, the party leaders did not like the anti-protest initiative of their comrades (the bill, in particular, was signed by members of the United Russia faction Vladimir Semago, Pavel Voronin and Igor Barinov), which they informed Vladislav Surkov about. It is worth recalling that when the law “On Meetings...” was adopted in 2004, a scandalous situation also arose: United Russia supported a government project that seriously tightened the rules for holding public events, which caused a flurry of criticism from other parties and public organizations. The president then agreed to correct the party in power “at the request of the workers,” and proposed mitigating amendments for the second reading.

Mr. Surkov, according to a Kommersant source, agreed to the proposal to adjust the amendments. But Kommersant’s interlocutor kept silent about what exactly would be corrected. However, United Russia members, among the authors of the project, have already drawn conclusions: Vladimir Semago and Pavel Voronin hastily withdrew their signatures on the document, explaining that they supported this initiative of representatives of other factions somewhat recklessly. Although, for example, deputy Semago on Thursday evening very thoroughly proved to Kommersant the need to adopt these amendments.

Another confirmation of the Kremlin’s readiness to soften the bill was the sharp criticism that was heard on the same day from the lips of members of the Public Chamber (PC), who are usually very cautious in their statements. Thus, the head of the OP commission on the development of civil society, Maria Slobodskaya, called the amendments “a real attack on civil rights and civil society.” And the chairman of the commission for monitoring the activities of security forces, Anatoly Kucherena, expressed the opinion that “concepts such as 'sufficient and previously confirmed information' cannot be the basis for a decision to cancel rallies or marches.”

However, some members of the opposition do not believe that the deputies will significantly correct the bill. Thus, independent State Duma deputy Sergei Popov (Yabloko party) believes that “pickets will most likely be allowed, since without pickets no party will be able to conduct a campaign during the elections.” Other prohibitions, he does not rule out, “will be legalized.” Although Yabloko does not see any particular benefit for the Kremlin in these bans: “If the Orange Revolution begins, then no laws will prevent the Maidan.”

Viktor Kommersant-Khamraev

The amendment has been edited