The organizer of the rally in Volzhsky abandoned the event after receiving a warning from police.

Volzhsky City Hall has refused to approve a rally against the blocking of Telegram for the second time. The organizer also received a police warning against holding unauthorized public events, after which she announced the cancellation of the event.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," in early March, a 20-year-old resident of Volzhsky submitted documents to the Volgograd City Hall requesting approval for a rally against the blocking and slowdown of the popular messaging app Telegram. Volgograd City Hall responded by proposing to postpone the event "until the situation stabilizes." The organizer refused, after which "plainclothes men" approached her. On March 12, the organizer of the rally reported that three men in civilian clothes came to her work and threatened her employer with problems, after which she was temporarily suspended from work. from work. After this, she submitted a notice of a rally in Volzhsky, but was denied on March 20.

The organizer canceled the rally after the second refusal

On March 23,Varvara submitted an amended notice to the Volzhsky mayor's office to hold a rally on March 29 in the center of Volzhsky (from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Moscow time on the square in front of the drama theater). On March 24, she received a response from the Volzhsky city administration "Refusal to hold a public event." The manager of the administration, O.A. Popova reported that the notice was drafted in violation of Article 7 of the Federal Law "On Assemblies, Rallies, Demonstrations..." (FZ-54). According to the mayor's office, the "deadline for filing a notice of a public event" (the law specifies a deadline of no earlier than 15 and no later than 10 days before the event) was not met. The official then cited articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Concept of Public Security in the Russian Federation, which guarantee citizens their public and personal safety.

"In connection with the intensification of terrorist attacks using unmanned aerial systems and in order to take measures aimed at ensuring the safety of citizens... and preventing terrorist manifestations on the territory of the urban district, the Volzhsky City Anti-Terrorism Commission decided on March 24 to restrict the holding of outdoor, public, and mass events, starting March 24, for an indefinite period, and to move them indoors. Next, the applicant received a warning that holding an unauthorized rally could result in administrative and criminal liability. The police (Volzhsky District Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia) also warned Varvara of similar liability that same day. (Copies of the letters are available to the "Caucasian Knot" website.)

Varvara, the rally's initiator, explained the specifics of the procedure in her Telegram channel, "Luch." Citing the Federal Law "On Assemblies, Rallies, Demonstrations...," she pointed out the difference between the "notification" stipulated in this law and the "coordination" of public events.

"No 'consent' or 'refusal' from the administration is not their permission. We submit notice 10-15 days in advance (before the event). The administration does not give the go-ahead or prohibition—they can only propose changes." Even without a response within three business days, the event is considered notified and legal (Article 10 of the law),” the rally organizer explained.

“‘We suggest you change the location’ is not a ban! The wording ‘we suggest you’ is a recommendation, not an order. According to Federal Law No. 59 “On the Procedure for Considering Citizens’ Appeals” (Articles 10–12), such words are a suggestion that can be ignored. There are no penalties for refusal. For example, if they wrote ‘we prohibit,’ ‘we do not allow,’ or ‘we order,’ it would be an order (with a court reference). Here? Just advice. The document does not prohibit our location, so it is still in effect,” she pointed out.

But later, she announced that the March 29 rally was canceled. She indicated that she intends to appeal the Volzhsky mayor's office's refusal.

She also added that "they asked me to write a leave of absence until everything calms down," Varvara reported on her Telegram channel.

Lawyer reminded of citizens' constitutional rights

Lawyer Sergey Ivaschenko pointed to the requirements of Article 31 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It guarantees citizens the right "to assemble peacefully, without weapons, to hold meetings, rallies and demonstrations, marches and pickets."

"The Constitution gives us the opportunity to freely express and form opinions, put forward demands on various issues of the political, economic, and social life of the country. The goal of the organizers of such actions may also be to influence the activities of government bodies. Harsh criticism of the authorities and their decisions is quite possible," he told a correspondent of the "Kavkazsky" node."

However, Sergei Ivashchenko noted that such a constitutional right "may be limited by federal law in order to protect the foundations of the constitutional order, morality, health, rights and legitimate interests of others, ensuring the country's defense and state security, etc."

We see a blatant application of so-called double standards.

The lawyer pointed out that it is possible to challenge the authorities' ban on holding public events. Ivashchenko referred to Resolution No. 28 of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated June 26, 2018, "On Certain Issues Arising in Courts When Considering Administrative Cases and Cases of Administrative Offenses Related to the Application of Legislation on Public Events."

"In the case of the refusal to approve the rally in defense of Telegram in Volzhsky on March 29, we see a blatant application of so-called "There are no double standards," the lawyer stated.

Ivaschenko reported that on March 18 (six days before Varvara Luch received the official denial of approval for the rally), a mass street event dedicated to the 12th anniversary of Crimea's annexation to Russia took place in Volzhsky. A youth patriotic flash mob took place on the central alley of Volzhsky Park. Patriotic public events were also held in the regional center.

"I was unable to find any information in open sources about whether the organizers of this street flash mob were punished for violating the laws that the city hall official listed in her letter to Varvara. So, there are clearly double standards," Sergei said.

According to him, organizers of similar rallies are receiving denials all over Russia.

"Some bureaucrats cite the danger "Some are reminded of drone strikes, others are reminded of the COVID danger, while others are suddenly faced with urgent work at the sites of protests to repair utility lines. Bureaucratic imagination is varied, but unfortunately, it goes unpunished," Sergei Ivaschenko was indignant.

"Caucasian Knot" wrote that the organizers of a rally in defense of Telegram in Rostov-on-Don were also subjected to pressure. Rostov activist Evgeny Makovoz was arrested for ten days on charges of petty hooliganism.

The Krasnodar administration reconsidered its decision to approve a rally in defense of freedom of speech on March 28, even on the outskirts of the city. Officials withdrew their approval for the action, citing security concerns due to the threat drone and missile attacks.