Protesters held as State Duma backs controls

Police detained at least two dozen people outside Russia’s parliament as it debated a bill yesterday that would raise fines 150-fold for people taking part in unauthorised protests.

The Kremlin party, which has a majority in the lower house, was trying to bring the bill to a final vote last night to halt a planned 12 June opposition rally.

Since returning to the presidency in May, Vladimir Putin has taken a tougher line towards the opposition, whose protests over the winter drew tens of thousands onto the streets.

More than 20 activists, including the leader of the liberal Yabloko party, were detained outside the State Duma. Some were released shortly afterwards.

The bill would see maximum fines for taking part in unauthorised rallies go up from 2,000 rubles (£40) to 300,000 (£6,000). The Kremlin party, United Russia, originally proposed an increase to a whopping 1.5 million rubles (£30,000).

For public officials, the maximum fine would be raised to 600,000 rubles (£12,000).

Gennady Gudkov, an MP with the opposition Fair Russia party, warned the State Duma: “In the past, tightening the screws in Russia has only caused bloodshed. This is a sure path to a civil war. You’re assuming responsibility for the country’s future and pushing it toward a crisis, collapse and bloodshed.”

United Russia controls 237 of the Duma’s 450 seats, making approval of the bill almost certain.