Russia `effectively revokes' right to assemble

NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE , MOSCOW
Friday, Apr 02, 2004,Page 7

The Russian Parliament took the first step on Wednesday toward passing a law that would ban demonstrations in most public places, narrowing one of the crucial freedoms won as the Soviet Union came to an end.

The bill passed the first of three readings by a vote of 294 to 137, reflecting the dominance of supporters of President Vladimir Putin.

The draft law prohibits rallies outside government buildings, embassies and international organizations, on major roads, near schools, hospitals, stadiums, concert halls and religious centers, and at pipelines and environmentally hazardous sites.

"This would be the end of political life in the streets," said Sergei Reshulsky, a member of the Communist Party, which has asserted itself over the years in street rallies.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/04/02/2003116365

If they keep this up they will find themselves fighting off a Second Bolshevik Revolution.

If Bush sees that the Russians get away with it, who knows what he might try here. :)

of this same thing.

Russian freedoms.

:-)

Have they *ever* had a decent government? I mean, for more than like twenty minutes?

dig bunkers. We really must nix the mercenary trend or they'll use them as security.

If they try to pass a similar law here, those bunkers will come in real handy.

America is doing exactly the same thing. We call it Free Speech Zones but it is in effect exactly the same thing. Certain areas are off limits for peaceable assembly that is guaranteed by the constitution. "Liberals wrap themselves in the constitution and burn the flag while conservatives wrap themselves in the flag and burn the constitution."

"Who lost Russia?" the only answer can be George H.W. Bush.
The wall fell in 1989. Bush did nothing at this momentous turn in history. Zero.
Like Afghanistan, as soon as defense contractors couldn't make a buck off the situation, Bush turned his back. The US should have offered alot of assistance and guidance into a freer system, but did nothing. Instead a kleptocracy emerged which is now ruining Russia.

Fun fact: During the Bush I era, George Soros gave more aid to Russia out of his own pocket than the United States government.

fascist gangs will beat down demonstrations that the state disapproves of, like the recent anti-war demo in St. Petersberg.