Planned demo in support of freedom of assembly in Moscow

Russian opposition leader Eduard Limonov says activists plan to hold a demonstration in support of freedom of assembly in Moscow on Saturday (July 31) despite warnings from the Interior Ministry to break it up,
Deputy Interior Minister Mikhail Sukhodolsky said on Thursday (July 29) that police will disband any unsanctioned protest by the Strategy 31 movement. But Limonov, a founder of the opposition movement Other Russia, told RFE/RL that bans on gatherings in Moscow and throughout Russia are unconstitutional, and the Strategy 31 rally will go ahead. Moscow authorities have for nearly 18 months repeatedly refused to give permission for Strategy 31 -- an alliance of human rights organizations and opposition activists -- to hold demonstrations in defense of Article 31 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly. Strategy 31 holds its demonstrations on the 31st day of the months with that number of days.