New in legislation
On December 5, 2022, Federal Law No. 498-FZ of December 5, 2022 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation" entered into force, which amended Federal Law No. 54-FZ of June 19, 2004 "On Meetings, Rallies, Demonstrations, Processions and Picketing".
According to the Federal Law, foreign agents are classified as persons who cannot be organizers of public events. In addition, there is a separate list of places where it is prohibited to hold meetings, rallies, processions and demonstrations.
Such places include:
buildings and territories of railway stations and stations, airports, sea and river ports, marinas;
buildings and territories of educational and medical organizations, social protection organizations, playgrounds and sports grounds;
buildings of public authorities, territories directly adjacent to them, including those that ensure the functioning of electric, thermal, water supply networks, water supply and (or) drainage networks, gas supply networks;
places of worship, buildings and structures, as well as land plots on which such buildings and structures are located, including those belonging to religious organizations by right of ownership or granted to them by other property right.
The subjects of the Russian Federation have the right to adopt laws defining other places in which it is prohibited to hold meetings, rallies, processions, demonstrations, with the mandatory establishment of address or other landmarks indicating the location of such places.