MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. The Russian Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor General’s Office warned citizens against taking part in unauthorized rallies, scheduled to take place in Moscow and other Russian cities on Sunday, January 31.

"The Interior Ministry of Russia calls upon citizens to refrain from taking part in unauthorized rallies. We strongly recommend citizens to warn their underage children, other relatives and friends against taking part in unauthorized events," Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk told TASS.

In her words, organizers of such events incite participants to behave aggressively towards law enforcement officers deployed in the area to maintain public order.

"The aim of instigators is to provoke clashes between participants and law enforcement officers," Volk continued, adding that the risk of provocations remains high under present-day conditions.

The Russian Interior Ministry assured that any violence committed against police officers or refusal to obey their legitimate demands will be prosecuted. Besides, participation in mass events constitutes a breach of epidemiological restrictions imposed amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, it entails administrative responsibility, and in some cases, even a criminal one.

Meanwhile, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office warned that attempted provocations and violence during the unauthorized rally can be prosecuted under Article 212 of the Russian Criminal Code (Mass Disorders).

"It should be particularly noted that engaging underage persons into the above-mentioned unlawful activities can be prosecuted under Article 150 of the Russian Criminal Code [Involvement of a Minor in the Commission of a Crime]," prosecutors said.

Besides, participants also face administrative responsibility under for violating rules of holding mass events.

Central streets closed

Russian police will close for pedestrians several streets in central Moscow, as well as seven stations of the Moscow metro amid calls to hold an unauthorized rally in the Russian capital, the Moscow Police Department’s press service said.

"On January 31, restrictions will be imposed on pedestrian traffic in downtown Moscow. Besides, starting from 08:00, certain stations of the Moscow Metro - Alexandrovsky Sad, Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya, Ploshchad Revolutsii, Kuznetsky Most, Lubyanka, Kitai-Gorod will be closed for inbound and outbound passenger traffic," the press service said.

Subway trains will not stop at those stations.

All restrictions will be in place until further notice.

 

Consequences of January 23 rally

Following the January 23 unauthorized rally held in Moscow and other Russian cities, more than 20 criminal cases were launched by the Russian Investigative Committee alone. The majority of them were launch into acts of violence committed against law enforcement officers. Seven such cases are being investigated in Moscow. Six people were detained for attacking police and Russian Guard officers. Five of them remain in custody.

Besides, police in Moscow and several other cities launched cases into attempts to block traffic. A case into suspected violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules has also been opened in the Russian capital, as some of participants were diagnosed with novel coronavirus and obliged to self-isolate.

According to the Moscow City Court, 154 people were placed under administrative arrest and 354 fined in Moscow alone. In total, 1,608 administrative cases were submitted to Moscow courts.