19:09, 17 July 2016

Rostov-on-Don: nineteen people come to action against "Yarovaya's package of laws"

Participants of the action against ‘Yarovaya’s package of laws’, Rostov-on-Don, July 17, 2016. Photo by Konstantin Volgin for the ‘Caucasian Knot’.

The package of anti-terrorism laws adopted by the State Duma violates the Constitution of Russia. This was claimed by participants of a picket in Rostov-on-Don sanctioned by the authorities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 24, the State Duma approved in the second and third readings a package of anti-terrorism laws. On June 29, it was supported by the Federation Council, and on July 7, it was signed by the President of Russia.

The bills were drafted by Irina Yarovaya, the Chair of the State Duma's Committee for Security and Countering Corruption, and Victor Ozerov, the head of the Committee on Defence and Security of the Federation Council. The provisions of the bills reduce the floor age for criminal responsibility for terrorism, toughen the punishment for most of "extremist" articles and introduce a number of new restrictions, in particular, ban to conduct any missionary activities on behalf of religious organizations, whose aims are contrary to the law. The new law also demands from mobile operators to store the content of users' calls and correspondence.

Activists of the "Yabloko", "Parnas", "Solidarity", and "Civil Initiative" Parties have brought plastic bags to the picket. Some of the protestors were holding the plastic bags in their hands, and others periodically put them on their heads.

In their hands, the protesters were holding posters with slogans reading: "The Yarovaya's law violates the Constitution!", "Against the Yarovaya's package of laws", and "The Constitution of the Russian Federation, we are losing you!", the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Konstantin Volgin

Source: CK correspondent