23:00, 23 June 2010

In Kabardino-Balkaria, court cancels ban on rallies in Nalchik

On June 22, the Supreme Court of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) found illegal the decision of the antiterrorist commission at the administration of the capital of the republic of December 24, 2009, to introduce a temporary ban on rallies, pickets and other mass political actions in the territory of the city of Nalchik.

On April 24, this decision was passed by the Nalchik City Court, and yesterday it was upheld by the cassation definition of the Supreme Court of the KBR.

Valery Khatazhukov, head of the public human rights centre, has expressed his satisfaction with the decision made. "The right to freely rally together and publicly express one's opinion is a mandatory norm of any democratic society. The society cannot solve its problems by democratic methods without observance of one of basic positions of the Constitution," the human rights activist has noted.

Author: Luiza Orazaeva

Source: CK correspondent