Kazan opposition demands direct mayoral election, State Duma dismissal, freedom to political prisoners
KAZAN. Sept 15 (Interfax) - No more than 100 activists attended the rally "In Defense of Constitutional Rights of Citizens" held on a Kazan square in front of the Revolutionary Mullanur Vakhitov Monument on Saturday.
The regional organization of the Yabloko party organized the permitted action to support the March of Millions campaign. The organizers said they would gather about 250 participants.
A number of opposition and nationalist parties, movements and organizations, among them Other Russia, Left Front, RPR-PARNAS, the Union of Communist Youth, the Pirates Party, Anarchists-Syndicalists, the Kazan Civil Union and the Tatar Patriotic Front Altyn Urda, supported the Yabloko-led action.
The activists carried banners of their organizations and signs, which demanded direct mayoral elections, direct gubernatorial elections without 'filters', and the dismissal of the anti-people State Duma.
Kazan high-school student Bulat, who introduced himself as a civil activist, said, "People are the real rulers of the country" and called on the authorities to release all the political prisoners immediately.
"Free everyone incarcerated for fighting for freedom, free the May 6 prisoners, free Pussy Riot!" the schoolboy shouted and the rally applauded him.
The organizers urged Tatarstan residents to take active part in the election of the coordination council of the Russian opposition, which will be done online and at a republican electoral commission formed especially for the occasion on October 20-21.
The rally lasted for about 90 minutes. No incidents happened.