Russian MiniLessons: Акции протеста в России – Protests in Russia

The following bilingual Russian MiniLesson is meant to build your vocabulary by providing Russian phrases within English text. Hover over the bold Russian to reveal its English translation.

Article 31 of The Russian Constitution states that граждане Российской Федерацииcitizens of the Russian Federation  имеют правоhave the right собираться мирноto meet peaceably без оружияwithout weapons, проводить собранияhold meetings, митинги и демонстрацииrallies and demonstrations, шествия и пикетированиеprocessions and pickets.

While many of the articles of Russia’s constitution state specifically that условия и порядокconditions and rules определяютсяwill be determined на основе федерального законаon the basis of federal law, there is a basic understanding in practice that all constitutional rights may be regulated.

Indeed, Russians’ constitutional right to public meetings is regulated by Федеральный закон Российской Федерации от 19 июня 2004 г. N 54-ФЗ «О собраниях, митингах, демонстрациях, шествиях и пикетированиях».Federal Law No. 54-FZ of the Russian Federation of June 19, 2004, 'On Meetings, Rallies, Demonstrations, Processions, and Picketing' According to the law, one person or a group can act as the организатор публичного мероприятияorganizer of a public event, and anyone who is at least 16 years old имеет правоhas the right организовыватьto organize демонстрацииdemonstrations , шествия processions and  пикетированиеpicketing.

Also, the организатор публичного мероприятияorganizer of a public event can be a политическая партияpolitical party, or другие общественные объединения и религиозные объединенияother public associations and religious associations, and их региональные отделенияtheir regional branches.

These people or groups are authorized to проводить митинги, демонстрации conduct rallies and demonstrations в местах и во время,in locations and at times которые указаны в уведомлении as specified in the notification о проведении публичного мероприятияabout conducting public events. Such уведомлениеnotification should be в письменной форме in writing , Tooltip content and should be подано/предоставлено submitted to the local authorities no later than 10 days before the event, or, in case of picketing, 3 days.

The law does not state that the authorities must be notified about protests or rallies. Neither does the law state that a несанкционированный митингunauthorized rally can or must be прекращен stopped by the police. According to the law, a rally or a demonstration must be postponed if any нарушение правопорядкаviolation of the law occurs; if such a violation poses a threat to the life and health of citizens or to their property, the rally or demonstration must be ceased.

However, in practice, all the forms of public meetings are often прекращеныstopped and organizers are often told that they must meet at a different location or time – or, in the case of gay pride parades, for instance, are simply told that they cannot meet at all. The authorities have often used the excuse that the event would pose a threat to protestors’ health and lives because of the likelihood that such an event would be broken up forcibly by violent nationalists as a counter-demonstration.

After подача уведомленияsubmitting notification, protest organizers have the right to агитация через СМИadvertise through mass media for the event and cause. They can also размещать объявления в блоге place notices in a blog or раздавать листовки hand out leaflets.

At the protest, participants can be engaged in a variety of activities: произносить речиgive speeches, скандироватьchant, or держать лозунгиhold signs. Протестующиеprotesters Tooltip content are entitled to организовывать сбор добровольных пожертвованийorganize collections of donations. They can also use звукоусиливающие технические средства sound amplifying devices, such as a мегафонmegaphone, which is colloquially called a матюгальникcursing device in Russian.

Sometimes, protests have элементы театрализованного шоуelements of theatrical show. At the protest on Sakharova Prospect in Moscow on December 24, some participants свистелиwhistled with whistles issued to them by organizers, some came dressed in various costumes and masks, and some attendees привязывали свои лозунги к воздушному шару и запускали его в воздухtied their signs to balloons and released them into the air.

At the protests of the so-called несистемная оппозицияnon-system opposition, such as their rallies at Triumfalnaya Square in Moscow, participants били в барабаныbeat drums. Several years ago, hundreds of participants of the youth movement Nashi dressed as Santa Clauses and Snowmaidens for their pro-government rally. Communists frequently играть советские песниplay Soviet era songs at their demonstrations.

At the end of a rally or a demonstration, participants зачитывать резолюциюread out a resolution. For example, at the protest for fair elections at Bolotnaya Square in Moscow on December 10, the organizers worked out the following resolutions: “1.) немедленное освобождение всех политзаключённыхthe immediate release of all political prisoners; 2.) отмена итогов сфальсифицированных выборовnullifying the results of the forged election; 3.) отставка Чурова и расследование его деятельностиthe resignation of Churov as Chairman of the Central Election Committee and an investigation of his activities; 4.) регистрация оппозиционных партийregistering opposition parties; and 5.) проведение новых и честных выборов conducting new and fair elections.

The resolution is then accepted by a largely nominal voice vote.