| President Vladimir Putin on Monday criticized a bill that
would sharply limit public gatherings -- a widely expected step that should
help improve his democratic image after criticism over his one-sided re-election.
The bill, which was tentatively approved last month by the State Duma,
called for banning demonstrations outside government buildings, embassies
and the offices of international organizations, as well as along main
roads, railways and pipelines.
Putin on Monday firmly pointed the Duma toward watering down the bill,
saying it proposes "unhealthy limitations" on citizens' rights.
"Who in today's circumstances needs to limit the rights and freedoms
of our citizens to demonstrate and march?" Putin said at a Cabinet
meeting. "There must be no restrictions in connection with this."
Putin is sensitive about his democratic image after being criticized
by the opposition and some Western governments for dominating the state-run
airwaves in the run-up to his landslide re-election March 14.
Some analysts have suggested that the protest bill was a devious trick
hatched by Putin's supporters to allow him to make a public intervention.
They point to a similar sequence of events last year when pro-Putin deputies
proposed changing the Constitution to extend presidential terms from four
to seven years. After lengthy speculation over Putin's intentions, he
publicly rejected the idea and was able to portray himself as a champion
of the Constitution.
The protest bill was supported by deputies from the pro-Putin United
Russia party. Acknowledging the "rather heated debates," United
Russia leader Boris Gryzlov, who is also speaker of the Duma, has backtracked
on the bill, saying amendments allowing rallies outside most government
buildings would be introduced before the bill comes up again for consideration.
The authorities already require political gatherings and protests to
obtain advance permission. Over the weekend, Moscow city prohibited the
liberal Yabloko party from holding a protest on May 1, when Communists
will stage Workers' Day rallies.
(AP, Reuters)
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