13:22, 4 January 2014

Rallies not related to the Olympics allowed in Sochi

According to the amended Russian Presidential Decree on strengthened security measures during the Olympics, it is allowed to hold in Sochi rallies, marches and other actions not related to the Olympics during the Games as coordinated with the city administration.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Sochi to hold a total inspection of the city infrastructure and the Olympic venues before the Games.

Putin has amended the above Decree of August 19, 2013, which initially forbade any mass actions during the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Now, as reported by the website of the President of Russia, according to the amendments, public events that are not related to the Olympics, are allowed; however, the number of participants, time and venue of the actions will be defined by the Administration of Sochi, with coordination with territorial security organizations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

Let us remind you that many activists of public and political organizations had criticized the restrictions on rallies in Sochi, seeing them as human rights violations. Lev Levinson, an expert at the Institute of Human Rights, compared the above heightened security measures with the introduction of the state of emergency.