An action of collection of signatures against poor roadways suppressed in the town of Frolovo, Volgograd region

On April, 30, the activists in the town of Frolovo were planning an action of collecting signatures under an appeal to President of the Russian Federation devoted to the state of roadways in Volgograd region. Representatives of regional authorities and the police suppressed the action.

The action of collecting signatures was organized by regional non-governmental organization "We'll do it together".

According to activist of the organization Alexey Ulyanov, during collection of signatures a man came up to him and asked to show him the application form, then he said that the roadways were fine in his region and called the police. It emerged later that the man was Vladimir Kibenko, Deputy Head of the municipal Administration of Frolovo.

"Chief of district Department of Interior Affairs of Frolovo Andrey Goncharov arrived and recommended strongly to stop the action, otherwise, he promised to call a team of Patrol and Point Duty Service and detain us accusing us of an authorized action of protest", Ulyanov said.

In the activists' opinion, Andrey Goncharov and Vladimir Kibenko's actions were unlawful. Ulyanov declared that he was going to appeal to Public prosecutor's office for the supervisory body to estimate the actions of the official and the policeman, V1 reports.

Meanwhile, Press service of Chief Directorate of the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Volgograd region declared that nobody threatened to arrest Alexey Ulyanov.

"A meeting with Ulyanov's participation was held in the police department of Frolovo. The reason for it was his intention to organize an action of collection of signatures", IA "Vysota 102" quotes a representative of Chief Directorate of Interior Affairs.

According to the representative of the office, Ulyanov was only warned of administrative responsibility for violation of Law No 54 of the Russian Federation "On meetings, demonstrations, processions and picketing". Officials of Press service only emphasized that "the police has no jurisdiction over the question of prohibition or authorization of mass actions".