Khabarovsk authorities canceled an already agreed rally against the blocking of Telegram under a ridiculous pretext

The Khabarovsk administration suddenly canceled a previously agreed upon rally against the blocking of Telegram due to an “emergency situation” that required urgent repairs to the park where the action was planned. The organizers from the Dawn party received notice of the withdrawal of approval.

“In connection with the prevention of an emergency situation in the park of the House of Fleet Officers, emergency restoration work is being carried out on the networks using construction equipment,” says the letter from the mayor’s office.

On February 24, the Khabarovsk administration itself recommended the park near the House of Fleet Officers as a place for holding the action, the Rassvet party recalled.

“The administration did not offer an alternative venue. We believe that these actions directly violate Article 31 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation <...> Now we call on citizens who intended to attend this event to refuse to do so,” the Dawn party said.

In February-March, residents of at least 11 Russian cities tried to hold legal rallies against the blocking of the messenger.

In Moscow, the Yabloko party was rejected , citing anti-Covid restrictions.

The administration of Barnaul, in refusing the local branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, stated that in Russia there are no political repressions and blocking of popular Internet resources, and the organizers’ statements about their existence “diverge from reality.”

The authorities of Irkutsk refused to hold the event due to too many people wishing to participate, which officials predicted after monitoring social networks.