On 4 June the Prosecutor of Moscow found infringements of the law in activities of the capital government’s desicion to forbid the “March of Dissent” on 6 May. The Ombudsman for Human Rights of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Lukin, supported the organizers of the march and emphasized the activity operated completely within the law’s limits. (30-JUN-08)
Written by Maria Paramonova/HRH Moscow
Links: http://www.hro1.org/node/2425; http://www.hro1.org/node/2176; http://www.hro1.org/node/2100
Photo: www.hro.org; Dennot.com
Written answer of the Prosecutor
According to the Movement “For Human Rights” it is spoken in the answer of Prosecutor to the application of human rights defenders. Violation of the law consist that, having forbidden the march on the route declared by organizers, the mayoralty did not offered an alternative direction. The Prosecutor brought representation addressed to the head of the Department of Coordination of Activity for Ensuring Safety of the Government of Moscow of Valery Kadatsky.
The Ombudsman for Human Rights condemned a prohibition of “March of Dissent”
Before this the Ombudsman for Human Rights of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Lukin, supported organizers of “March of Dissent” he emphasized that organizers of the activity operated completely within the law’s limits by having notified the mayoralty 15 days before carrying out the march.
However the answer of the Department of Coordination of Activity for Ensuring Safety of the Government of Moscow signed by the first deputy chief of the Department, Vasily Oleynik, was directed with delay. Mr. Lukin said that according to the answer city authorities, having suggested to choose other place for carrying out activity, did not offered an alternative route of the march that in opinion of the Ombudsman “It can be regarded as evasion from the coordination of peace assembly and procession”. (http://www.hro1.org/node/2176)
In connection with this case, Mr. Lukin advised the organizer of “March of Dissent” to consider this question in the Court. The Ombudsman has promised from his part “to watch closely litigation’s course, reserving his right to state/suggest his point of view concerning the passed verdicts”.
The State Department of Internal Affairs did not constrained the promise to not detain participants of the march
On 6 May in Moscow the “March of Dissent” was planned, however, the activity did not take place. Contrary to promises of the chief of service of the information of the Municipal Department of Internal Affairs of Moscow, Victor Biryukov, who had given a word to a representative of the United Civil Front, Denis Bilunov, that in case of a canceling the activity the participants wouldn’t be detained. This promise was not executed: the militia detained more than 60 people going to “March of Dissent”, including operating journalists and casual passersby. Nearby 15 people were sentenced to administrative arrests, including the coordinator of the “Oborona” Movement, Oleg Kozlovsky, who was condemned for 13 days, and held hunger-strike during all period of the conclusion as a token of the protest against the illegal verdict which has been born by court.
