Opposition Rally Again for Political Reform – Ryzhkov

Russia’s opposition is taking to the streets again on Saturday to demand change in Russia’s political system, in the first post-presidential election demonstration, liberal politician Vladimir Ryzhkov said at a rally in downtown Moscow.

“We will continue to demand freedom of speech, snap parliamentary elections and a new presidential vote after the introduction of the new rules. We also demand the end of censorship of the media and release of political prisoners,” Ryzhkov said at the rally on Novy Arbat Street.

Around 8,000 demonstrators had already turned up for the Saturday rally by 2 p.m. according to the local police. The organizers had expected up to 50,000 to attend. The protest, under the banner “For Fair Elections,” is against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s victory at the presidential polls on March 4. Putin won 63.6 percent of the vote according to the Central Election Commission, but critics claim the election was marred by fraud.

The Kremlin has introduced reforms of political legislation following the parliamentary vote in December, which was also marked with allegations of vote-rigging and sparked the largest street protests in Moscow for twenty years. The opposition want further reform, Ryzhkov said on Saturday.

 

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