Organizers of pro-Navalny rally issued with caution
MOSCOW. Dec 26 (Interfax) - Moscow prosecutors have issued a caution to the organizers of a rally held in support of the opposition activist Alexei Navalny and a march from Pushkinskaya Square as far as Academician Sakharov Avenue, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office told Interfax on Friday.
"The Moscow government did not permit the rally since the law prohibits any public events in areas adjacent to the Russian presidential residence," the statement said.
The opposition is planning to stage mass protests on December 28 in Manezhnaya Square and subsequently between Pushkinskaya Square and Academician Sakharov Avenue.
"To prevent further possible violation of the law, prosecutors in Moscow's Central Administrative District sent cautions to the rally organizers Alexander Larenkov, Viktor Zubets, Vitaly Serukanov, Dmitry Krainev, Artyom Torchinsky and Sergei Vasilchenko," the Prosecutor General's Office said.
Another reason why the authorities did not permit the demonstration is because the parties "failed to agree upon its venue," the document said.
The prosecutor's office dubbed the event in central Moscow as a rally "with the aim to express an opinion about the Yves Rocher trial and concerns over the economic situation in the country."