German human rights NGO iDecembrists together with the Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker (GFBV) have called on supporters to join them in a demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy on Monday, May 6 at 5pm. The protest is being held to support the right of Russian citizens to hold political demonstrations.

The date marks the first anniversary of the Bolotnaya Square protests in Moscow against election fraud. It was one year ago that the peaceful “March of Millions” demonstration turned into a bloody clash as police targeted protesters.  Hundreds were detained and fourteen young Russians are still being held in detention pending trial. To date, one protester has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

The authorities have used the clashes between the police and demonstrators as a pretext for systematically restricting the democratic rights of citizens to political assembly.

The planned demonstration in Berlin asks the Russian government to immediately end its restrictions on freedom of assembly and protest and release all political prisoners.

In a recent statement for Russian newspaper, Vedomosti, Mikhail Khodorkovsky wrote that the political motivation of the Bolotnaya trials is “obvious” and the objective is “to intimidate and demoralise opponents, and politically active voters, and to present the peaceful civil protest and constitutional fight for power as something marginal and extremist”.

What? Protest against Russian repression
When? May 6, 2013, 5.00 p.m.
Where? Unter den Linden 63-65, 10117 Berlin (in front of Russian embassy)
Who? iDecembrists and GFBV
Contact? idecembrists@yahoo.com
Facebook? Event

If you are in Berlin, please pledge your support on May 6 and join the protest, and spread the word to all those interested.