St Petersburg authorities discriminate against human rights defenders

Scheduled for 15 May, a picket against war in Chechnya, one of those regularly held by the St Petersburg Antiwar Committee at Nevskii Avenue at Malaya Koniushennaia St, was prohibited. This is what one of the organisers, Piotr Raush, told Caucasian Knot by phone. He said the administration of the city's Central district banned the picket under the pretext of "exceeding the standard maximum admitting value" of the place where the picket was to be held. In the opinion of the district officials, no more than 15 people should gather in this place.

About 30 participants in the picket against war in Chechnya still came to the usual place and stood there from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm without unfolding their placards. A commercial advertising action was running on the patch they had been prohibited from that attracted more than 100 people.

The authorities thus discriminated against the picketers, appearing to violate the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders that says, "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels," etc.

• Antiwar picket banned in St Petersburg