| Liberal Yabloko party supporters and Communists rallied
outside of the
State Duma Wednesday in a protest of a new law on referendums that they
fear
would limit the public's role in organizing popular votes.
The organizers had obtained permission for the demonstration, which
totaled about 50 people, a Yabloko source told MosNews. However, police
detained four people, including the head of Yabloko's youth organization,
Ilya Yashin. One of the detainees was beaten up in a bus on the way to
the
police precinct, the source told MosNews.
"The police are trying to incriminate [the protesters] with resisting
arrest," the source said.
An Interfax correspondent reported seeing banners reading "No
to the
Authority's Disgrace!" and "Protect Democracy!", as well
as "No to a Police
State!". The demonstrators also protested against the new law limiting
where
meetings and demonstrations can be held.
The State Duma is to hold the first reading of the new draft bill on
referendums Wednesday. Unlike the old law on public voting, the new bill
proposes limiting the frequency of referendums and holding them only in
"exceptional cases".
See also:
the original at
http://www.mosnews.com/
Human Rights
| 