In accordance with article #3 of the 3rd part of the Russian Constitution (Law of the land) superior expression of people’s power is national referendum and free elections. This article has been infracting for 6 years already since December 2004 when V. Putin rescinded region heads election. This action violated also another article of Constitution (#32). It guarantees that citizens of the Russia have got the right of participating in national affairs governance and have got the right of choice and right to be chosen in the bodies of state power. Cancellation of region heads elections was another step in the direction of authoritarian society from democratic society. Authorities have deprived us of the right to be the nationals of our country and it has left for us just the functions of taxpayers. But we wish to elect governors by ourselves!

To protect this right youth organization “Oborona” starts new federal campaign named “V means Vybory” (“V means elections!”). First events will take place on November 22. Oborona’s activists will hold a number of informational piquets near Gostiny Dvor. For example activists will tell about some promises of Valentina Matvienko (St. Petersburg governor) which hasn’t been redeemed still. Leaflets will be distributed and some performances will be arranged there also. Besides this the notifications about head rally were given to the administration. It will be held on December 4 on Pionerskaya square.

Oborona of St. Petersburg invites others democratic organizations to join the struggle. Let’s give back gubernatorial elections!

In the context of its educational project “Oborona” organizes the following events for everyone:

November 19, Friday
“Kino +” (“Cinema +”) — viewing and discussing different movies.
Movie: «Lord of the Flies» , USA.
Event time: 7 pm.
Event place: “Soldiers’’ mothers of St. Petersburg”, Razjezjaya street 9.
The movie is about human nature and laws of society.
We shall talk about social phenomena when democracy turns into its opposite and what might be opposed to this process. Our experts are psychologists and political scientists.

November 20, Saturday
Seminars for civil activists
“Tactics of public interests protection activities”
Event time: 14-00 – 18-00
Event place: “Soldiers’’ mothers of St. Petersburg”, Razjezjaya street 9

November 28, Sunday
Over tea meetings with interesting persons
Our guest – Maksim Reznik , the leader of “Jabloko”s St. Petersburg department
Event time: 5 pm.
Event place: “German – Russian Exchange”, Ligovski prospect, 87, office №300
We shall talk about the past and the future of St. Petersburg opposition. Guests may ask any questions and get fair answers. Tea is included.

December 6, Monday
Seminars for civil activists
“Detention”
What is the way of communicating with law-enforcement agencies?
What is to do at the police station? What are our rights there?
Event time: 7 pm.
Event place: “German – Russian Exchange”, Ligovski prospect, 87, office №300

December 17, Friday
Kino + (Cinema +)
Movie: The Trial, France, Italy, Federal Republic of Germany, Yugoslavia, 1962
Event time: 7 pm.
Event place: “Soldiers’’ mothers of St. Petersburg”, Razjezjaya street 9
The movie is about “bureaucracy for the sake of bureaucracy”. Decisions are made by persons who even have not seen us, who do not care about us. Just few give a dare to the System.
After viewing we shall talk about judgment in USA, Europe and Russia as well as Khodorkovskiy’s case legal proceedings.

December 19, Sunday
Seminars for civil activists
“Internet 2010: the newest trends and opportunities of using web tools in civil activity area”
Event time: from 2 to 6 pm.
Event place: “German – Russian Exchange”, Ligovski prospect, 87, office №300.

St. Petersburg Oborona has taken part in the rally against political repressions, which took place at Pionerskaya square. It was claimed as a civil rally. Members of different political and civil organizations were there: “Solidarnost”, “Jabloko”, “CPRF” (Communist Party of Russian Federation), United Civil Front, Russian National Democratic Union and others. Near 200 persons altogether. Oborona’s activists were holding the banner with “The Country is sleeping, Khodorkovsky is sitting” message.
Oborona member Grigoriy Kopp mounted a platform and made a speech. He paid attention to difficult situation when “officials of Cheka” remain in power in Russia. Then any guiltless man can be accused of crime on account of political causes. Glaring examples are Mikhail Khodorkovskiy and Sergey Mohnatkin. “It is very dangerous to remain indifferent to the events in country ruled by “chekists” (security officers)” said Grigoriy.
It will be recalled that the rally against political repressions were organized as a reaction on authorities’ actions against Strategy-31 leaders (extremism criminal case institutions threaten them) and beatings and murders of reporters.

“Oborona” organizes viewing of “Bread and roses” , the film by Ken Loach . The movie was nominated for the Golden Palm at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival and had other nominations in 2001 and 2002. It won jury award at the Temecula Valley International Film Festival in 2000 also.
Movie will be shown on 15 of November 6 pm at Ligovskiy pr. 87, office №300 .
On completion of the viewing all visitors are welcome to discussion of the movie and the problems that it reveals.
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14.11.2010. 14:00 Pionerskaya square (Pushkinskaya metro station).

Organizers claimed that 531-person rally with banners, placards and sound equipment (sound amplifiers) would be held. We would remind you that October 31 three opposition activists were detained at Gostiny Dvor during peaceful meeting in support of freedom of assembly. After that they were sentenced to imprisonment by Judge Alexander Kuznetsov for participation and organization of the rally. Andrey Pivovarov (“People’s Democtratic Union”) got 29-day term, Andrey Dmitriev (“The Other Russia”) got 5-day term and Andrey Pesotskiy (National Bolshevik Party) got 14-day term.

On the night of 5-6 of November reporter of «Ъ» newspaper Oleg Kashin was brutally bashed up close by his residence. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries and he was operated on several times. Doctors said that the patient’s condition was very serious. It was clear that attack was planned beforehand so reporter had fallen victim to planned criminal assault. Street cameras near the scene of the crime recorded two men had been waiting exactly for Oleg. Criminal case on the article ‘Attempted murder’ was initiated. Investigation agencies still have no official priority version of these events. Meanwhile Oleg’s friends and colleagues think that Oleg’s sharp paper articles and his blog posts may be the real reason of the attack.
12 of November 2008 Mihail Beketov was also brutally beat up at the yard of his own house in Khimki district in Moscow. Mihail is well-known reporter of local paper ‘Khimkinskaya pravda’ (Khimki’s truth).

Rally is made agree with Petersburg’s authorities!

Many of you know about peaceful rally that was held October 31 2010 at Gostiny Dvor in St. Petersburg I think. More than 100 people were arrested there. As usual most of them had been sitting at police stations till midnight when they received reports about ‘violations’ of the following articles: 20.2 – ‘participation in unapproved rally’ and 19.3 ‘non-compliance with police orders’ and went home. They await notices of appointment.
But this time authorities decided push harder. Organizers of rally became first targets. As a result of it the leaders and some participants were sentenced to imprisonment with terms from one to 15 days (15 days term is maximum possible term in that case).
Andey Pivovarov — the leader of St. Petersburg ‘People’s Democratic Union’ and active member of ‘Oborona’s St. Petersburg department had really bad luck. Court session for previous ‘Strategy 31’ case was assigned on October 31, 6 pm. And Andrey was detained just on his coming to the rally. After that he was conveyed to the court session. Andrey was sentenced to 15-day imprisonment (previous case) and the same term for October 31 case. He had served already 3 days of his 31 August sentence (court decision was cancelled due to defects of proceedings). So, 27 days left, 27-day term of imprisonment for participation in peaceful rally that is clearly guaranteed by the 31st article of the Constitution, Russian Federation fundamental law.

In the courtroom. Photo by Maria Murina

During October 31 ‘Strategy 31’ rally police broke new record. 113 persons were detained and conveyed to police stations. “Solidarnost’”s Coordinating Committee member Alexander Skobov, “Youth Jabloko”s leader Alexander Gudimov and other five activists spend night on the floor of the ward. Almost all next day long they were sitting in the bus beside police station №203 where “justice” was dispensed by judge Kuznetsov. There was no food offered to them. The day before he gave judgment for Andrey Pivovarov and sentenced him to 27-day imprisonment. Also “Another Russia”s activist Andrey Dmitriev got 5-day term and Andrey Pesotskiy (AR) got 15-day term.