Support The Moscow Times!

Opposition Planning February Protest

Opposition groups said Tuesday that they would hold a rally near the Kremlin next month, stepping up pressure on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin over a controversial election win by his party.

Putin has already faced large opposition protests against his 12-year rule following the Dec. 4 State Duma vote, which protesters and international observers said was tainted by violations and fraud.

Once fractured, opposition groups have been galvanized by discontent over the poll.

Liberal opposition leader Vladimir Ryzhkov said protesters would apply for permission to hold rallies in Moscow and other Russian cities on Feb. 4. About 17,000 users of Facebook and other social networking services have left messages on the web sites saying they plan to attend the Moscow rally. 


Despite the protests, Putin is expected to win a presidential election in March and return to the Kremlin. He has promised that vote would be fair, but has rejected any possibility of annulling the previous parliamentary poll, as demanded by the protesters.

In an attempt to appease protesters' demands, President Dmitry Medvedev, who was steered into office by Putin in 2008, has amended laws to make it easier for political parties to register presidential candidates.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more