Russia Protest Bill: President Vladimir Putin Supports Controversial Anti-Protest Law

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a meeting while visiting the Tsiklon research institute in Moscow, Friday, May 18, 2012. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Government Press Service)

MOSCOW -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin says he supports a controversial bill that would introduce a 200-fold increase in fines for those taking part in unsanctioned protests.

The bill received a preliminary approval by the Kremlin-controlled lower house on Tuesday.

Putin said in remarks broadcast Wednesday that it would strengthen democracy in the country by protecting citizens from "radical actions."

Some have warned that the law may stop the middle class from protesting in Moscow but would fail to stem likely outbursts of anger against a series of planned reforms that would hike energy prices and cut social benefits.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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• Russian opposition protesters gather near the monument of Kazakh poet Abai Kunanbaev in the opposition camp at the Chistiye Prudy, or Clean Ponds, where they vowed to continue the roving protest in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 13, 2012. At least 5,000 are marching along Moscow Boulevard Ring in a rare unsanctioned gathering led by popular Russian novelists. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

• Russian opposition protesters sing and dance as they gather at the Chistiye Prudy, or Clean Ponds, where they vowed to continue the roving protest in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 13, 2012. At least 5,000 are marching along Moscow Boulevard Ring in a rare unsanctioned gathering led by popular Russian novelists. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

• Russian writer Dmitry Bykov, center, signs a book as he attends a protesters march in downtown Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 13, 2012. At least 5,000 are marching along Moscow Boulevard Ring in a rare unsanctioned gathering led by popular Russian novelists, defending people's rights to gather on the streets without authorities' permission. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

• Russian famous writer Boris Akunin, center, attends a protesters march in downtown Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 13, 2012. At least 5,000 are marching along Moscow Boulevard Ring in a rare unsanctioned gathering led by popular Russian novelists defending people's rights to gather on the streets without authorities' permission. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

• Protesters march in downtown Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 13, 2012. At least 5,000 are marching along Moscow Boulevard Ring in a rare unsanctioned gathering led by popular Russian novelists, defending people's rights to gather on the streets without authorities' permission. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

• A Russian youth opposition activist makes a portrait of Vladimir Putin win cocoa powder on a pancake as they gather at the Chistiye Prudy, or Clean Ponds, where they vowed to continue the roving protest in Moscow, Saturday, May 12, 2012. Some 200 activists have camped out in central Moscow to protest the election of Vladimir Putin and arrests of opposition leaders. Activists were distributing white ribbons, the protest symbol, and settling in at a plaza on a central boulevard. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

• A Russian youth opposition protester rests as they gather at the Chistiye Prudy, or Clean Ponds, where they vowed to continue the roving protest in Moscow, Saturday, May 12, 2012. Some 200 activists have camped out in central Moscow to protest the election of Vladimir Putin and arrests of opposition leaders. Activists were distributing white ribbons, the protest symbol, and settling in at a plaza on a central boulevard. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

• Russian youth opposition protesters rest as they gather at the Chistiye Prudy, or Clean Ponds, where they vowed to continue the roving protest in Moscow, Saturday, May 12, 2012. Some 200 activists have camped out in central Moscow to protest the election of Vladimir Putin and arrests of opposition leaders. Activists were distributing white ribbons, the protest symbol, and settling in at a plaza on a central boulevard. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Comments

[ebanks84]

01:39 PM on 06/18/2012

Czar Putin puts no one above himself and therefore listens to no one but himself. This man is no joke and will do things his way no matter who don't like it. I want to see what comes out of his conversations with Obama that's all. If he will be a part of our future, he will make the right moves. If not, he will be left behind.

[dzieczko]

02:21 PM on 05/24/2012

All anyone needs to know is that Putin, and, yes, his selected associates, will always put Russia first. They have a completely different set of loyalties and agendas because of that philosophy. Deal with it.

[Spikette1]

10:30 PM on 05/24/2012

Yes. Their loyalties are to KGB and "Ozero" cooperative. It is not philosophy actually. More like accounting.

[dzieczko]

12:07 AM on 05/25/2012

and different from USA banksters, how?

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

12:06 AM on 05/24/2012

"Unsanctioned protests" coming to a town near you.

[loki]

11:37 PM on 05/23/2012

a vivid glimps into the future if the Republicans and the Ruling Class gets their way.

[Opus Fideo]

07:49 PM on 05/23/2012

It seems Czar Putin is taking a page from Jean Charest's book on how to deal with protestors.

[slavixtube]

03:21 PM on 05/23/2012

This article as many like it, hides the fact that legal peaceful opposition demonstrations are not being restricted by the debated law in any way. Only those deliberatly breaking law will be affected by the new law. Don't forget that many peaceful demonstrations were held in Moscow without ANY interference from authorities in the recent past. Also, in plans by Moscow mayoral adminstration creation of a special public space a 'Hyde Park' for gatherings that don't require city gov's authorization. Peaceful demonstrations are protected in Russia. Radicals and provakatuers are going to be affected by this law.

[Spikette1]

10:33 PM on 05/24/2012

That is not true. More than 2000 people have been arrested in Moscow since May 6th, most of them were detained illegally, without charges, without stating the reason for arrest. Yes, most of them were released in a few hours, but the scale of law breaking during those arrests is incredible. People were taken from the streets for lying down, for distributing food, for eating sandwiches and for standing near by.

[slavixtube]

03:18 AM on 05/25/2012

What you are claiming is not true. People who were detained wered detained legally for breaking law on public rallies. Public rallies in Russia must recieve authorization from local city government. Those who requested rally permit received them without exception over last few months. No one who wanted to ogranize a LEGAL rally was denied a permit. Only those deliberatly staging unsanctioned rallies, were detained.
The point is this, legal rallies are not being restricted by the proposed laws, only radicals and provakatuers will be affected. In addition a new sanction free public protest zones are being discussed by Moscow city government and up to 4 locations are being proposed. Those who want to express their disagreement with government have the opportunity to do so legally and peacefully. Those who want to stage a provakation, to riot, to disrupt other citizen's lives will be affected by the debated law.

[dzieczko]

02:31 PM on 05/23/2012

Great - they took my suggestion about making money off the arrests :-)

Unfortunately, I will not get a cut of the action for the *suggestion*....hmmm, maybe that's something the WORLD-WIDE protests are keying in on...?

The game is so rigged, no matter what you do - AS HONEST LABOR - you still end up with nothing.

[JuanitoN]

01:43 PM on 05/23/2012

Punitive measures - one more plank in Putin's house of "managed democracy".

International organizations' Russia sections:

Human Rights Watch Russia: http://www.hrw.org/europecentral-asia/russia
Amnesty International Russia section: http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/russia
Freedom House Russia: http://www.freedomhouse.org/country/russia?gclid=COOOm775lrACFSIHRQodHC885A
Corruption Perception Index, Russia: http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2011/results/

[slavixtube]

03:36 AM on 05/25/2012

Russia is much more democratic than so called democratic western countries and no use of so called western NGOs are going to change that fact with their politically motivated 'ratings' and 'reports'.

[bdb]

01:42 PM on 05/23/2012

'Strengthening democracy by protecting citizens from radical actions'? Is this a line from Orwell's 1984?

If Putin was sure he'd won democratically, he wouldn't be so afraid of people protesting the fairness of the election. Fear comes of having something to hide - so he stifles dissent. The less critical people are permitted to be, the easier it will be for Putin to prop himself up as the great hero of the people with unfettered authority to protect and serve the best interests of the people. As such, to undermine him is to undermine the best interests of everyone. Clever, that.

If you don't have democracy codified in laws, it's all too easy for politicians to justify eliminating democratic protection ... all in the name of democracy, of course! The trend to unopposed oligarchy is enough of a possibility even with clear laws in place designed to keep the process fair and open.

[dzieczko]

02:17 PM on 05/24/2012

There's bound to be *birther* stuff in Russia....so your problem is how Russia deals with it. And how is that your business?

[slavixtube]

03:40 AM on 05/25/2012

Putin did win democratically and he is not afraid of anything, but the radical opposition on western payroll is not interested in democratic choice of Russian people. They want to impose the will of a tiny minority using any action including rioting and blood spilling. Putin is correct in stating that society has the right to protect itself from provocateurs and radicals.
Russian laws are clear. Legal, sanctioned rallies are protected, radicals, provocateurs and rioters will be punished.

[Trustfunded1]

01:33 PM on 05/23/2012

A fine in Russia doesn't seem as bad as being beaten,gassed and arrested in America for peaceful assembly.

[Spikette1]

10:38 PM on 05/24/2012

Actually dozens of people have been beaten in Moscow since May 6th. There were a few concussions and broken bones. Also, despite official denial, a few people I know, who were present at May 6 protest were complaining about throat troubles, which might be an indication of the use of some gas. Also, the fines that are being discussed are quite high. 1 million roubles is 30 thousand dollars, it is what a lucky person makes in two years, and a teacher makes it in 5 years, so basically people's apartments might be taken from them to pay such a penalty.

[slavixtube]

03:24 AM on 05/25/2012

Actually only people 'beaten' were the ones rioting and they were not really beaten but gently carried to police vans. Rioters and provocateurs attacked police on may 6 and were consequently arrested. People who did not break law were not bothered by police. The fines being discussed are for those breaking law on public rallies, not for peaceful lawful protesters.

[banderson2]

01:18 PM on 05/23/2012

It says unsanctioned protest, ie illegal. I guess if someone had an unsanctioned protest here in the US it would be allowed. Hmmmm!!!!

[Spikette1]

10:39 PM on 05/24/2012

Any protest Putin does not like might be declared illegal for any reason.

[slavixtube]

03:25 AM on 05/25/2012

You are lying. Putin does not sanction protests, it is the job of city government and all protest requests were granted permission by city government with some disagreements over location. You Putin haters are liers, btw.

[slavixtube]

03:33 AM on 05/25/2012

You are just a Putin hater, lying about Putin. Putin does not have anything to do with sanctioning rallies. It is the job of city government. Legal rallies are not declared illegal for any reason and peaceful rallies went on without any interference from police of the last few months testifies to that.

[Nirbijan Nirvichara]

10:35 AM on 05/23/2012

There is nothing 'controversial' about the bill. Putin opposition supported by mostly-lying western media will outcry no matter what is the real meaning and and content of the bill (which is absolutely no different from what UK , US or Germany have today). All people in Russia including reasonable opposition agreed that aggressive hooligans, terrorists and provocatures (like Udaltzov) should be identified and fined or jailed. Plain and simple.

[uniqumm]

11:02 AM on 05/23/2012

Well, this is a novelty............

...........A Putin puppet!

[PrimusElijah]

11:35 AM on 05/23/2012

Step by step he's reaching toward that dictator stage. We've been doing democracy here for over two centuries. Guess what? This isn't how you do it.

[Vlad Roudenko]

12:53 PM on 05/23/2012

You guys have been "doing democracy here for over two centuries" ? That's what you really call it? Judging from early history of the US up until more recent times, I'd say you had a society ruled by oligarch type elite for most of that history.

[pinkibus]

02:55 PM on 05/23/2012

You mean stopping the 99% protestors by having the police move in was democratic and something to be proud of while Russian police moving in on protestors is despotic and tyrannical? I see what you think you mean.