Russian President defends Freedom of Assembly by striking down unconstitutional bill. - Polidicks

[img]http://www.dw-world.de/image/0,,3103620_4,00.jpg[/img] [url]http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6198435,00.html[/url] [b]Russian President Dmitry Medvedev surprised rights activists Saturday by overturning a bill to restrict freedom of assembly. Meanwhile, a journalist for a leading newspaper has been severely beaten and is in a coma.[/b] [quote]Russian President Dmitry Medvedev overturned a bill to restrict freedom of assembly Saturday, in a move that surprised Russia's rights activists. Medvedev vetoed a bill passed by Russian parliament in October that would make it illegal for those convicted of planning illegal rallies in the past to organize new demonstrations. In an open letter to the two chambers of parliament, Medvedev explained his decision by saying that the amendment contradicted the right to assembly guaranteed by the Russian constitution. "The law ... has aspects which would impede the realization of the constitutional right of citizens to hold gatherings, meetings, demonstrations, marches and pickets," he wrote. Demonstrations, Medvedev added in the letter, were "one of the most effective forms of influence on the actions of the state." Human rights activists and members of the opposition welcomed the announcement by the president – who is not known for promoting freedom of expression. "We don't need this law," said Lyudmila Alexeyeva, leader of the human rights organization Moscow Helsinki Group, according to the news agency Interfax. "In Russia the right to stage demonstrations is already restricted enough." Veteran campaigner and the head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Lyudmila Alexeyeva, said the new law would have limited the people's right to freedom of assembly. "It is sensible that our president saw all the risks in the bill for the authorities and the senselessness of the law," she added. Russian police have regularly cracked down on opposition demonstrations deemed to be unauthorized. However, some observers have detected a new climate of tolerance since Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov was ousted in September. The Kremlin surprised many last month by clearly stating that authorities would not stop opposition protests of 200 people in central Moscow.[/quote] Democracy is safe in Americ--Russia.

Such is life in Moscow.

[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;25897183] [b]Russian President Dmitry Medvedev surprised rights activists Saturday by overturning a bill to restrict freedom of assembly.[/b][/QUOTE] Oh, sweet! Good goin Ru- [QUOTE=CabooseRvB;25897183] [b]Meanwhile, a journalist for a leading newspaper has been severely beaten and is in a coma.[/b][/QUOTE] Just another day in Russia

[quote]Russian President Dmitry Medvedev surprised rights activists Saturday by overturning a bill to restrict freedom of assembly.[/quote] Oh, for fucks sakes... Russia has no freedums!

How did I go from this: [quote]Medvedev vetoed a bill passed by Russian parliament in October that would [b]make it illegal for those convicted of planning illegal rallies in the past to organize new demonstrations.[/b][/quote] To this: [quote]Russian President defends Freedom of Assembly by striking down unconstitutional bill.[/quote]

Russia's really strange, we keep hearing of electoral fraud and stuff like that but the government seem like some pretty cool dudes.

So not being a dick sometimes makes being a massive dick the rest of the time okay?

[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;25897251]How did I go from this: To this:[/QUOTE] If you're blocking individuals from organizing a legal rally because they have been convicted of planning illegal ones, that would be restricting Free Assembly.