In Nalchik, authorities ban action in defence of native languages

In Nalchik, activists tried to get a sanction to hold on July 17 a rally and a picket against a bill on the voluntary study of national languages. However, the city authorities dismissed both notifications for formal reasons.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 19, the State Duma adopted in the first reading the amendments to the Federal Law "On Education", providing for the study of the state languages of the republics of Russia "on a voluntary basis." By July 4, a petition in defence of native languages gained more than 40,000 signatures. The day of July 17 was chosen for holding rallies and pickets against the law on native languages in different regions of Russia.

"I express my protest to the Nalchik city administration and the leader of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) in connection with a double refusal to sanction holding a peaceful rally and a picket against the adoption of the law on native languages," activist Lidia Zhigunova has written on her Facebook page today.

Both notifications of the actions were filed by activist Zaur Zhemukha. "At first, I submitted a notification for a rally to be held in Concord Square, numbering up to 300 people. It turned out that when you submit a notification through the Mayoralty in Nalchik, without addressing the republic's leaders, it is only possible to get a sanction for an action numbering up to 300 people. But I wrote '300 people,' one person more. And that fact became a reason for the refusal," said the activist as quoted today by the "Kavkaz.Realii".

The notification for a picket of up to 299 people submitted later was also dismissed on formal grounds, reported Zaur Zhemukha.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 16, 2018 at 11:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.