Activists treat anti-corruption rally in Makhachkala as sanctioned

An initiative group of Makhachkala residents is ready to hold an anti-corruption rally on March 26, despite the absence of city administration’s sanction.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that after the release by Alexei Navalny’s Fund to Combat Corruption (known as the FBK) of the film "He Is Not Dimon", dedicated to the "secret empire of Russian Premier Dmitri Medvedev", many cities of Russia began preparing rallies with a demand to investigate the information voiced in the film. However, authorities have rejected some of the submitted applications.

The rally in Makhachkala "will discuss the situation in Dagestan and Russia in terms of war on corruption, or, rather, absence of the war," said Marat Ismailov, a lawyer and one of the organizers.

In his opinion, local authorities "deliberately want to hinder the event."

"There are two reasons why I believe that the rally has been sanctioned: Firstly, for public events of up to 100 attendees held in specially assigned places, there is no need for notification at all. Secondly, the republic’s law provides for the need to coordinate even such small events. But we have observed this procedure," Mr Ismailov has explained, noting that the organizers of the rally are not Navalny’s supporters; and the action has no aim to support him.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.