Is it possible to protest against the authorities in Russia?

Yes. This right is written in the main law of Russia - the Constitution. Article No. 31 states: “Citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to assemble peacefully without weapons, to hold meetings, rallies and demonstrations, processions and picketing.” The Federal Law “On Meetings, Rallies, Demonstrations, Processions and Picketing” is designed to ensure that citizens exercise their constitutional rights. According to the law, the purpose of all the above types of actions can be the free expression of opinions and putting forward demands on political, economic and other issues. True, on some issues the authorities prohibit organizing rallies in principle: in particular, LGBT activists were not allowed to hold rallies in defense of their rights from year to year - this began even before officials had the opportunity to refer to the law banning “propaganda of non-traditional relationships.”

By law, a meeting is a meeting in a specially designated place. For example, in Hyde Park, that is, on a special site that the authorities began to build last year (there are, for example, in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Krasnodar). A rally is “a massive presence of citizens in a certain place for the public expression of public opinion on current problems of a predominantly socio-political nature.” To put it quite simply, during a rally people stand still, but during a procession and demonstration they go somewhere. At the same time, the procession involves moving along a predetermined route, and the definition of the demonstration does not say anything about routes. Picketing is a rally that is held near a building and without sound amplification equipment.

The law says nothing about other formats. If participants want to gather in some format that is not mentioned in the law - for example, for a public gathering or a walk - the authorities may consider this action a rally, procession, meeting, demonstration or picketing.

No. In order to go to a rally, meeting, procession or demonstration, you need to notify the authorities no earlier than 2 weeks, but no later than 10 days in advance - even if you speak out against these same authorities. The organizers must submit a notification, providing their details and contacts, what kind of event is being planned, for what purpose, where they are going to hold it, approximately how many people will come, and how their safety will be ensured. If we are talking about a procession, you need to indicate which route it is planned to take. The law also requires special provisions for events involving the use of vehicles, such as car rallies or bicycle rides. For picketing, the rules are the same, but you can submit an application 3 days in advance. From the point of view of the law, the only way to publicly express one’s opinion without prior approval from the authorities is a single picket. Moreover, if you are not the only picketer, the distance to the nearest like-minded person cannot be less than 50 meters (this rule applies in Moscow; in other regions the distance may be less).

No. You can simply report an upcoming meeting only if you want to protest in Hyde Park. But you need to make sure that this time is not already occupied by others. For all other forms of protest, it is necessary not only to notify the authorities, but to agree on all conditions with them.

No. Only from 7am to 10pm. Only certain cultural and memorial events can be held at night.

No. The authorities may require that the rally be moved if they decide that the venue is too close to dangerous facilities (for example, industrial facilities), overpasses, railways, oil pipelines, gas pipelines, high-voltage power lines, etc. You cannot gather near the residences of the head of the country, courts, prisons, detention centers, colonies and special detention centers. You cannot gather near the Russian border unless there is permission from the border guards. Also, the action will not be approved if the organizer: is not a citizen of Russia; declared incompetent; has an outstanding criminal record on certain charges; within a year before the expected date of the action, he was twice charged with administrative charges for violating the rules of holding actions and disobeying the police. The authorities are obliged to respond to the organizers’ request within three days - to agree or propose an alternative.

The organizers must inform the authorities no later than three days before the event whether they are satisfied or not with the counter-proposal. If you are not satisfied, you can appeal it. But according to the human rights organization OVD-Info, authorities usually consider complaints after the date on which the event was scheduled.

No. In addition to weapons and ammunition, you cannot bring piercing or cutting objects, pyrotechnics, flammable substances, flammable products (matches and lighters), chemicals and other materials that can be used to create smoke to the meeting. You cannot bring any items that could be used as weapons. You cannot bring alcohol.

Unknown. During high-profile trials, people often do not have enough space in the courtroom and gather outside the building. Authorities sometimes consider such cases as uncoordinated rallies and detain participants.

Administrative or criminal liability. If the authorities consider a particular gathering of people to be an uncoordinated action, it often ends in mass arrests. In the first three months of 2014 alone, and in Moscow alone, the police detained more than one and a half thousand people. People are also sometimes detained at coordinated protests, but rarely. The relevant article - on violations of the rules for holding public events (20.2 of the Administrative Code) provides for a fine of 10 thousand to 300 thousand rubles, compulsory work for up to 200 hours or administrative arrest for up to 30 days. The second most popular article applied by police officers to protesters is disobedience to legal demands of government officials, 19.3 - a 500-5000 ruble fine or administrative arrest for up to 30 days. The most severe penalties are imposed for repeat violations. Those who have been charged under 20.2 and 19.3 more than three times within 180 days face criminal prosecution and a much harsher punishment: from 600 thousand to a million rubles (or 2-3 years’ salary) fine, compulsory, forced or correctional labor, or imprisonment for up to 5 years. Sometimes protesters are also charged under other charges: for example, petty hooliganism. According to human rights activists and detainees, the police, as a rule, detain the participants of the meeting in order to stop the action, and at the police department the detainees are issued protocols “as a carbon copy” for any of a set of suitable articles. Courts fully trust the testimony of law enforcement officers, although the witnesses in court are often not the same police officers who carried out the arrest. At the same time, violations by the police - detention without explanation, rough treatment, false statements in the protocol - remain unaddressed.

From the point of view of the Constitutional Court, yes. The Constitutional Court lodged claims under individual articles of the law on public events, but in general never challenged it.