Dissenters’ March June 11 in Moscow

After the success of St. Petersburg on the 9th, we are marching again in Moscow on Monday. The Kremlin blinked on Saturday, showing they are vulnerable to public and international pressure and awareness. Our thanks to every journalist, politician, and citizen around the globe who raised a voice against the brutality and repression of our peaceful activities. Back in March, the security forces tried their best to intimidate the people of Russia, but they failed. (In a typical note, official news sources said there were “more than four hundred” people at the St. Petersburg Dissenter’s March. True. There is no denying that 2500 is more than 400.)

Monday the 11th in Moscow, at 4pm local time, we again take to the streets for democracy. Exactly where and how is still under discussion to the last minute. After a Saturday roundtable, there are still talks between human rights groups, the organizers, and city officials. The ombudsman’s office even criticized the Moscow government for the way they discarded our latest march application. We want to march, not just to hold a meeting, and our record of nonviolence is still perfect. If Russia is a democracy, let us march! Our activists are fighting government discrimination, police intimidation, and today also the holiday season. We expect several thousand Muscovites to postpone their traditional holiday to join us in calling for fair elections and an end to the Putin police state.