Russia will hold local elections in September. That has sparked big protests calling for „fair and free“ elections, because the government won‘t allow politicians from opposing parties to run for any position. But much more than this, the protests dissatisfaction with the ruling system.
The ongoing protests of the last three Saturdays in Moscow, but also in cities like St. Petersburg were accompanied by mass arrests, police brutality and demands for 15 years in prison for the felony of „mass unrest“ by the ruling class.
Also the bourgeois news are full of reports about how the Russian government treat the, seemingly mostly peaceful, protesters. On July 20th, 20.000 people reportedly protested in the streets. On July 27th, about 1.400 were arrested and over 70 injured by the police. Some of the detained people have faced up to 150.000 rubles in fines or 15 days in prison. It was reported that they were denied access to basic rights like seeing a lawyer, or even food and water. On August 3rd, at least 828 people have been arrested for joining the demonstrations and some key figures of the democratic movement were put in jail.
The push of the Russian masses against the ruling system is used by opposition politicians for their own advantage. But still they only represent and go for the interests of Russian capitalists and imperialists, just a different fraction than the one currently in power. As well as they are much used by the other imperialist against Russian Imperialism.
The rebellion of the masses is justified and has to find the way, not for the so called "democracy", but to boycott the election and demolish the illusions of parliamentarians!
