Photo:
TASS
The constitutional court (CC) of Russia has ruled that criminal liability for violating the rules of holding rallies at least three times in 180 days is inconsistent with the Constitution. It is reported TASS with reference to Chairman of the court Valery Zorkin.
This resolution has been adopted, having considered the complaint of the activist Ildar Dading. Zorkin stressed that the criminal liability for such violations is admissible, “if it is equivalent to the nature and extent of the act and does not lead to derogation from the principle of equality, proportionality and fairness.”
Article 212.1 of the criminal code (repeated violation of the established procedure of organizing or holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches or picketing) appeared in the criminal code in July 2014. In 2015, Dading became the first and so far only convicted on this article. He is now serving in a colony of a 2.5-year period. In November 2016 Dading wrote an open letter allegations of torture and abuse in the Karelian colony IK-7.
After visiting the colony, the members of the HRC Igor Kalyapin, Pavel Chikov and prepared a report, which admitted the fact of violence against Dadina. The report referred to the systematic use of force against convicted persons by the administration of the institution.