President Vladimir Putin has placed new rules on Russian protesters, imposing penalties on people accused of requesting permission to rally without following through.
The Kremlin said Wednesday that Mr. Putin signed legislation amending Russia’s strict protest laws to effectively punish organizers based on the outcome of their already heavily regulated public demonstrations.
Introduced in May and passed last month in the Russian legislature, the rules impose fines on organizers accused of “giving notice about a public event without the intention of holding it,” as well as organizers who apply to hold rallies that are ultimately cancelled without authorities receiving proper notice, The Moscow Times first reported in English.
Fines for violations of the rules will range from 5,000 rubles ($76) for individuals, to 100,000 rubles ($1,521) for legal entities once the law takes effect Nov. 11.
In an explanation note filed in the State Duma, the bill’s authors indicated the fines were meant to address alleged instances of organizers abusing their “right to hold a public event” by planning bogus protests.
“Often such cases are clearly provocative,” said the note, citing an example where an organizer allegedly filed 660 applications for 660 different events to be held on the same day in St. Petersburg last year.
“All activities were agreed, but were not held. Thus, the authorized authorities were obliged to ensure the presence of employees of the internal affairs bodies and ambulance teams in the declared place for 11 hours,” said the note, according to Google Translate.
Mr. Putin had repeatedly passed laws restricting public assembly in Russia since first becoming president in 2000, and more than 1,000 people were arrested two months ago during a wave of nationwide protests opposing his administration’s policies, according to independent monitors.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.