Chichvarkin, Berezovsky and other participants of London rally

Tens of people, including famous political emigrants, gathered for a rally in London outside the Russian embassy on Tuesday to protect Article 31 of the Russian Constitution. The rally was civilized and no incidents occurred. Photo: Businessman Boris Berezovsky (at the center).

Yevgeny Chichvarkin, the ex-CEO of cell phone retailer Euroset, who is accused of kidnapping, wore a yellow shirt as he promised and did not refuse to talk to journalists. “Russia went [on a rally in London] for the first time, this says that another turn of screws has occurred,” said the businessman who is waiting for the decision of the British court on Russia’s request for his extradition.

Businessman Boris Berezovsky, who was granted political asylum in the U.K. in 2003, told journalists that “there are no such places in London where it is prohibited to rally.”

The dissident and one of the leaders of the Solidarity opposition movement, Vladimir Bukovsky (at the center) was late for the event due to a long way from Cambridge. He came to Notting Hill when the participants of the rally were about to leave. “Today marks the anniversary since the Solidarity was founded in Poland. This is what occurs if people were banned to talk and are not listened to when they do so,” Bukovsky reminded journalists of the events of 1980.

The Strategy 31 movement is named in honor of Article 31 of the Russian constitution which guarantees freedom of assembly, rallies, demonstrations and processions. Its members have already staged several protest actions in Russia on the 31st of every month with 31 days. Photo: participants of the London rally in support of Strategy 31.