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The federal law introducing the amendments was passed by the State Duma on June 5, 2012, and approved by the Federation Council on June 6, 2012.

Reference information from the Presidential State-Legal Directorate

The Federal Law On Amendments to the Russian Federation Code of Administrative Offences and the Federal Law On Assemblies, Rallies, Demonstrations, Processions and Picketing was passed in the aim of introducing greater administrative liability for violation of legislation on assemblies, rallies, demonstrations, processions and picketing, qualifying what constitutes violations in this area and clarifying the grounds for imposing liability for them.

The following amendments have been made to the Code of Administrative Offences:

- compulsory community service has been added to the list of penalties for administrative offences;

- compulsory community service has been defined as one of the main types of penalty for administrative offences;

- the maximum fine for administrative offences has been increased to 300,000 rubles for members of the public and to 600,000 rubles for officials;

- the limitation of action for violations of legislation on rallies has been set at one year from the date of administrative offence;

- district court judges (and not justices of the peace) shall have jurisdiction for hearing cases of violation of legislation on assemblies, rallies, demonstrations, processions and picketing. 

The following amendments have been made to the Federal Law On Assemblies, Rallies, Demonstrations, Processions and Picketing: 

- individuals with court convictions still in force or who have been brought to administrative liability for violating the legislation on rallies twice or more times may not act as the organisers of public events; 

- the organisers of public events can ask the police to remove from the event’s venue individuals who violate the rules for holding public events;

- participants in public events shall not cover their faces with masks or any other objects that make it difficult to identify them; carry any weapons or similar objects, explosives and inflammable substances; consume alcoholic beverages or be in a state of drunkenness at the public event’s venue;

- no prior notification is required for single-person pickets;

- the time public events shall end has been changed from 11.00 pm to 10.00 pm local time;

- the executive authorities must notify the police (and public event organisers) about the officials responsible for public events in the relevant executive bodies or local government bodies, and also about the specific reasons for refusal of permission to hold public events.