The tightening of administrative responsibility for the meetings
The amendments to the administrative offences code and the law “On meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions and picketing”.
Who introduced the bill: a group of deputies led by Alexander Sidyakin (“United Russia”).
When entered into force: 9 June 2012
What’s new:
- Significantly increased fines for organizers for violations at rallies: for individuals for violation of the order of carrying out of meeting from 10 to 20 thousand rubles., and if damage is caused to health or property — up to 300 thousand rubles; the upper limit of fines for officials amounted to 600 thousand rubles, for legal entities — one million rubles.
- As punishment for violations of mandatory work.
- Ban to stay on the rallies in masks.
- A ban to organize a “mass simultaneous stay of citizens in public places”, if it threatens the violation of public order.
- Toughened rules of carrying out of pickets: the regional authorities are allowed to set the minimum allowable distance between pickets.
- Forbidden to organize meetings to citizens with outstanding conviction for crimes against the state and public security, or two or more times brought to administrative responsibility for violations in the conduct of public events.
- Introduced the concept of “special places for mass presence of citizens for public expression of opinions on pressing problems.”
- The court was right to recognize a few pickets under the theme of the mass event.
In response to complaints of deputies of the state Duma and opposition to the adopted law, the constitutional court in 2013 as a whole approved the law, but acknowledged some of its provisions contradictory to the Constitution. The bills pursuant to the decision of the constitutional court were considered but were not accepted.
The prohibition of night rallies
The amendments to the law “On meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions and picketing”
Who introduced the bill: no data
When entered into force: 17 October 2014
What’s new:
- Public events banned in the night from 22 o’clock till 7 o’clock, with the exception of public events devoted to memorial dates of Russia, public events of cultural contents.
Criminal liability for rallies
The amendments to the criminal code, the administrative offences code and the law “On meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions and picketing”
Who introduced the bill: deputies from “United Russia” Alexander Sidyakin and Andrey Krasov and the Deputy from “Fair Russia” Igor Zotov after the conversation, Senator Andrey Klishas, Vladimir Putin.
When entered into force: 22 July 2014
What’s new:
- The criminal code introduced an article providing for punishment in the form of a fine, compulsory work, compulsory work, correctional labor or deprivation of liberty for a term up to five years for repeated violation of order of organizing or holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches or picketing.
- Imposed administrative punishment in the form of a fine, compulsory works or arrest for up to 15 days for participants in unsanctioned rallies, which create obstacles for pedestrians and operation of critical infrastructure.
- Now a journalist is obliged to have at a mass event “clearly visible distinctive mark of the representative of mass media”.
- Administrative penalties for repeated violation of order of organization and conducting mass events and repeated participation in an unauthorized rally equalized in the punishment includes a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles. (up to 600 thousand rubles and 1 million rubles for officials and legal entities) are required to work 200 hours, arrest for up to 30 days.
- Increased the maximum period of administrative arrest for participants and organizers of mass events for repeated disobedience to lawful order of police officer of the FSB, the state guard of from 15 to 30 days.
- Imposed administrative punishment in the form of fines (up to 300 thousand rubles for individuals and up to 1 million rubles for legal entities), compulsory work (200 hours) or arrest (up to 20 days) for the illegal organization and participation in mass stay or movement of citizens who are not public event, dangerous industrial objects, the residences of the President, the courts of law in case the participation in the collection led to the violation of public order or sanitary norms, the participants did harm to green plantings, created obstacles to movement of pedestrians or vehicles.
In February 2017 the constitutional court announced the decision on the complaint Ildar Dading — convicted in the first introduced in the criminal code article. The court stressed the need to respect the General principles of legal liability, which suggests that criminal liability should be adequate to create a public danger, and the court must prove intent on breaking the law. Therefore, the facts of administrative offences cannot afford to admit in criminal proceedings, and must be fully explored by the court.
The prohibition of caravans and tents
The amendments to the law “On meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions and picketing”
Who introduced the bill: the Deputy from “United Russia” Sergei Kuzin
When entered into force: 20 March 2016
What’s new:
- Demonstrations equal “public events with the use of vehicles” (caravans).
- Event, “where is the installation of prefabricated collapsible structures”, equated to picketing.
- Participants of pickets in case of using “prefabricated collapsible structures” obliged to notify the authorities not later than three days prior to the event.
