An unsanctioned protest meeting against rising utility charges took place in Russia's northern city of Archangelsk on Sunday, with its Communist organizers facing administrative penalties, a local police spokesman said.
Local authorities reportedly allowed the protesters to hold the rally during half an hour although it had not been sanctioned. However, local Communist Rudolf Korolev, who organized the meeting, would be fined, the spokesman said.
Two organizers of a protest march that followed the meeting are also to be fined, he added.
A Communist party spokesman said the party has requested the Archangelsk region's Prosecutor's Office to check the legality of a rejection by local authorities to sanction the rally.
A previous protest meeting against the increase of utility charges, which involved some 450 people, took place in Archangelsk on February 21.
A local government spokesman said the Arkhangelsk region's authorities have taken steps to reduce rising utility taxes.
In mid-March, regional legislative elections seen as a popularity test for the pro-Kremlin United Russia party took place in 76 out of 83 regions from the Far East to European Russia amid rising unemployment and utility charges.
The Russian opposition, which gained more support in the March 14 polls than in the previous elections in October 2009, appeared to be satisfied with the results of the voting. Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov then said the elections indicated that Russians' minds were becoming more left-wing, and their sentiments more "red".
The Communist Party is the second largest party in the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, with 57 seats. The pro-Kremlin ruling United Russia party has 315 seats.
ARKHANGELSK, March 28
RIA Novosti
