Moscow, Russia

:See also: Moscow, Idaho, USA.
 
== Top ==
Share link: Moscow. Local or regional cannabis-related links wanted. See: Russia.
Click for more Moscow event graphics and photos by year.
Translation.  
Translation of graphic below: "5 May 2007 - Global Marijuana March. Cannabis is a medical drug, TEXTILE and paper. The English navy used sails made from RUSSIAN CANNABIS. The first jeans, Levis, were produced from cannabis linen. Cannabis linen is STRONGER and CHEAPER than cotton."
Translation.  
Translation of graphic below: "5 may 2007- Global Marijuana March. By the order of SNC (Soviet of National Commissars) of the USSR (in march 1934) FOR GROWING CANNABIS in farmsteads and flood-lands special privileges and advantages were given! In 1936 in the USSR a sown area of cannabis was 680000 hectares, that was a 4/5 of the world's cannabis sown! CANNABIS IS A PROPERTY OF RUSSIA!"
 
== Censorship, police brutality ==
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*Wikipedia: 2019 Moscow City Duma election. Opposition candidates blocked. Many arrests at protests: Wikipedia: 2019 Moscow protests. 
*Wikipedia: Freedom of assembly in Russia. Putin's pseudo-democracy. 
*Wikipedia: Internet censorship in Russia.
*6 Jul 2019: Putin Tells Elton John Russia ‘Unbiased’ Toward LGBT Community. "Polygraph.info finds Putin’s claim of a 'perfectly unbiased' attitude toward LGBT people in Russia to be false."
*Wikipedia: Ivan Golunov.
*12 Jun 2019: Hundreds arrested in Moscow during protest over Ivan Golunov, and planted drug charges.
*11 Jun 2019: Russian Journalist Ivan Golunov Is Freed; Ministry Orders Inquiry Into Drug Charges.
*7 Jun 2019: Ivan Golunov: Russian anti-corruption journalist charged with drug dealing. BBC News.
== Links ==
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*Конопляный Марш Москва 2020. Канал Конопляного Марша в МосквеTelegram: Contact @gmmmsk.
*Московский Конопляный Марш _ 02 мая 2020 _ | VK.
Facebook: 
*Jah Divizion (Джа Дивижн).
More links:
*legaliz.info - in Russian.
*Political lytdybr: 2008 - in English. Monday, 5 May 2008. Worldwide Marijuana March in Moscow: the continuation.
*Yahoo Group email list and archive.
*Chronicles From Moscow: The Drug Situation in Russia. By Oswaldo Pérez Cabrera, Cannabis Culture - June 25, 2010.
GMM-MMM history from 2002 through a preview of 2008:
*Concerning "Moscow Canna Be-In" | Лига Легализации Конопли / Cannabis Legalize League - in English.
*Конопляные Гуляния - 2008 | Лига Легализации Конопли / Cannabis Legalize League - in Russian.
More links:
*Russia. Cannabis-related links. 
*Wikipedia: Cannabis in Russia. 
== Info ==
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*Google Maps: Moscow.
*Google images: Moscow. 
*Wikipedia: Moscow.
*Wikitravel.org: Moscow.
*Wikivoyage: Moscow.
*Russia Contacts, Links and More | a Medical Cannabis Resource Center (MERCY) Info page.
== Global Cannabis March. 420 ==
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GMM (scow+Russia%22 years signed up). 
== 2014 ==
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December 2014: 
*Pussy Riot Enlist Richard Hell, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt for Eric Garner-Inspired Video "I Can't Breathe". "In December 2014, we were recording an anti-war song cycle in studios in New York, and when the protests started there demanding a trial for the police officer who strangled Eric Garner, it didn’t take us too much time to decide to join in."
September 2014: 
*Pussy Riot stops in Ann Arbor, Michigan. . Fighting for prisoners' rights. Boston: .
June 26, 2014: 
*Pussy Riot Lead Day Of Global Action In Call To End The War On Drugs (PICTURES).
== 2013 ==
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September, 2013: Nadezhda Tolokonnikova's hunger strike. See Wikipedia: Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot.
== 2011 ==
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GMM, May 7, 2011:
*Preview. legaliz.info/gmm2011moscow - Всемирный Конопляный Марш -2011» пройдет в Москве 7 мая. Google translation of part of article: "World Hemp march will be held this year in Moscow on May 7. About the place, time and format of the shares to be announced. The same action at the World March of hemp will be more than two hundred cities of the world. In the statutory period by the organizers of the Moscow mayor's office will be served notice of the demonstration. However, the event will take place even if its illegal ban."
*Preview in Pravda: Global Marijuana March 2011 to be held in Moscow? April 21, 2011 article.
*Russia needs clear-headed marijuana rethink – activists. May 11, 2011. RT (Russia Today). "To make their point, Sergey’s organization planned a demonstration – but their official request was denied and they decided instead to stage a flash mob at a Moscow park."
*Report: MK: На ВВЦ прошла акция сторонников легализации конопли | Лига Легализации Конопли / Cannabis Legalize League. Google translation:
Translation into English.  
MK: At OCE Rally supporters of legalizing marijuana
Published in SergE May 8, 2011 - 07:55
"Hemp festivals" held this Saturday at the Exhibition Center. Proponents of legalizing hemp instead of the authorities banned a march held a flash mob. Approach to the Peoples' Friendship Fountain, which was declared a gathering place for the participants, was blocked by police officers, so the activists had to ride around the park on roller skates and bicycles, according to "Moskovsky Komsomolets".
Saturday's action took place in the "World March of hemp," which started its history in 1999. In Moscow, he was first held in 2002. Moreover, as the organizers of marches, the first action done without detention because of "ignorance of the authorities and a small number of participants."
"Hemp march-2011" has been agreed with the authorities, so the organizers decided to hold a "Hemp festivals." Supporters of the legalization of marijuana called to come to the OCE in clothes with elements of red, yellow and green. In the announcement also reported that "categorically" would be welcomed and bicycle clips.
On the site it became clear that all approaches to the Friendship Fountain, near which were supposed to meet members, covered with metal railings. The police explained this by carrying out maintenance work for the holiday on May 9. However, the organizers believe that this is done to prevent the gatherings. Meanwhile, the exact number of participants is unknown. According to some reports, during the event, police had arrested two members who tried to pass through a metal fence to the fountain.
The aim of the organizers is to legalize marijuana, including for medical purposes, which may lead to lower consumption. Now, a constant amount of drug marijuana growing in Russia. Participants in the action also requires the procedure to change the medical examination of drivers - in particular, to establish the fact of drug use is not in the past period, and at that time.
== 2009 ==
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Please support Serzh Konstantinov, Russia. Global Marijuana March organizer:
*http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cannabisaction/message/1496
*http://pluralis.ru/politicians/1/5/poll - number 4.
== 2008 ==
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*My husband's business trip turned into two years' hard labour in a Russian prison. April 26, 2018. Daily Mail. Story of British man in Russian prison 2003 to 2005 for possession of a tiny amount of cannabis. 
GMM, May 3, 2008:
*Serge Konstantinov ussserge(at)gmail.com +7926-229-98-30 Dmitry Goldyz rastovd(at)gmail.com +7905-575-63-31 Maria Smirnova +7926-248-69-38 http://www.legaliz.info Cannabis Walk near the fountain "Druzhba Narodov" (Friendship of Nations)..
*Report, photo: http://hvoya.blogspot.com/2008/05/worldwide-marijuana-march-in-moscow.html 
*Report: https://web.archive.org/web/20121125103123/http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/20080505271/cannabis-news/global-marijuana/cannabis-march-meets-heavy-handed-opposition.html 
*Report: DRCNet. Feature: Global Marijuana Day Demonstrations Meet Repression in Handful of Cities.
*Preview in Russian: http://www.legaliz.info/9/news/152 
*Preview in English: http://legaliz.info/9/news/154 - with history of past GMM-MMM events.
:We invite all not indifferent people to the "Friendship of Nations" to the All-Russia Exhibition Centre on May, 3rd, at 15:00. Thematic clothes, excellent mood and musical instruments are welcome. Please, go without direct political propaganda.
:The fountain "Friendship of The Nations" has been erected in 1954. In the center of a circle consisting of 16 female figures, that are personifying Republics of USSR – a sheaf made of inflorescences of sunflower, ears of wheat and hemp leaves. In 1961 USSR ratifies the prohibition Convention of the UN "On Narcotic Drugs" . According to it, Cannabis is a dangerous drug, which should be destroyed everywhere. Domestic hemp cultivating has fallen into decay, and it can’t recover from this impact till now. We insist on necessity to return former value to the fountain, and we demand to eliminate prohibitive restrictions on hemp cultivation – the leader of Soviet agriculture. For this purpose we gather by the fountain on May, 3rd. Without politics.
:Organizing committee of the Cannabis Legalize League
2008 report from Moscow.  
Worldwide Marijuana March in Moscow: the continuation
*hvoya.blogspot.com/2008/05/worldwide-marijuana-march-in-moscow.html
*globalmarijuanamarch.org/report.php?id=161 (inactive)
After the repressions at Moscow GMM - 2007 we gave up the idea to organize a march and decided to limit ourselves to Cannabis Walk as it was in 2006. Two years ago our action was a great fortune. No cannabis activists were arrested, the police was quiete friendly and all the walkers passed the time chatting, singing, playing mouth harps and drums. So this year we hoped to organize something similar.
We published an official statement on the CLL site, so that both authorities and activists could learn that no marches would be held in Moscow in 2008. We offered our supporters to come to the fountain "Friendship of Nations" at the All-Russia Exhibition Centre. There should be no banners or other means of political propaganda: only thematic clothes, excellent mood and musical instruments.
As soon as the statement was published we met the aggressive reaction of the Federal Service of Drug Control (Russian DEA analog). In the interview to one of the most famous Russian news agencies the head of informational department of the FSDC Alexander Mikhailov commented our action in the following expressions:
"Legalization of cannabis as a drug is out of the question. This theme mustn't be discussed at all. Such actions are the grossest breach of the peace and hooliganism. This is a spring exacerbation on which the bodies of internal affairs and psychiatrists should react".
When we came to the "Friendship of Nations" on May, 3rd, at 3 P.M. we found out that the fountain was blocked by forces of OMON and metal fences. Members of OMON and non-uniformed people caught out of the crowd everybody who seemed suspicious to them no matter if it was a Rastafarian, a punk, an emo or just a long-haired guy. In a few minutes 8 persons were arrested without any reasons. Some of them knew nothing about the action and came to the All-Russia Exhibition Centre just to have fun on the holiday. All the journalists who managed to fix the arrests were forced to erase their videos and photos under blackmailing by arrest or spoiling the camera.
40 minutes later I was sitting in a company of 8 or 10 people in 200 metres from the fountain. We did nothing and spent our time chatting and waiting for the other activists, so that we could go to a more peaceful place. We just wanted to change our dislocation when a band of OMON came near us and asked us to stay at our places. As I remembered clearly the last year march and as it was still possible to get out, I tried to run away. I was lucky to reach the exit from the All-Russia Exhibition Centre when a backheel of a non-uniformed person stopped me. Two seconds of free-fall - and I was lying on the ground. As I wasn't able to stand up myself the members of OMON began to beat me. I don't remember the moment I got to the military bus. The left side of my body was injured but the men in the bus denied me in any medical assistance. I could receive some help only in the police department.
The treatment in the police department was much better than last year. Only one guy of about 15 of our arrested supporters was subjected to pressure from the policemen. It took us two hours to understand the reason of our imprisoning. It sounded very funny and absolutely illegal. The matter was that the Federal Service of Drug Control just wanted to speak to us about the harm of drugs and any actions devoted to their legalization. So after 3 hours in the police department all of us were released from custody without any claims, fees or protocols and could continue the Cannabis Walk.
As a result of this amiable speech with the representatives of law I now have a fracture of a clavicle and several less painful but much more effective injuries - a good illustration of their methods of leading discussion as well as a good occasion for further legal struggle.
== 2007 ==
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Repression of a Moscow cannabis website (legaliz.info). See report.
GMM. May 5, 2007:
*Photos, English report: Cannabis News - From Russia with love..but no peace.
May 5, 2007 video of GMM 2007 aftermath in Moscow. Youtube link.
<youtube width="300px">wWjzjtSGEew</youtube>
Some GMM 2007 flyers below. The flyers are found on this page too: 
*http://www.legaliz.info/9/news/105 
English translations of the flyers below are from Maria Smirnova. Click on the flyers for the translations. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
</ul></div>
Animated banner for Global Marijuana March 2007 in Moscow.  
2007 reports and links.  
Moscow, Russia. Global Marijuana March 2007.
Links:
*Much info comes from this archive.
*Flyers: http://www.legaliz.info/9/news/105 
*Media: http://www.park.ru/google/doc_info.parkru?urn=10283499
*Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWjzjtSGEew
*Report: http://hvoya.blogspot.com/2007/05/global-marijuana-march-in-moscow-total.html
*Report, photos: http://cannazine.co.uk/cannabis-news/europe/from-russia-with-love..but-no-peace.html
13 marijuana marchers arrested May 5, 2007 by police in the Arbat Street area, and also outside the ARBAT police station. Some beaten. One hospitalized. 6 men sentenced in a kangaroo court that night to 10 days in jail. One man to 15 days. 6 women were fined 4500 rubles each (about $175). English report from participant:
*http://hvoya.blogspot.com/2007/05/global-marijuana-march-in-moscow-total.html
Video of May 5, 2007 arrests outside the ARBAT police station:
*http://tuganbaev.livejournal.com/1081105.html
Later on May 5, 2007 there were around 30 more arrests at the evening GMM gathering in a park in the city of Moscow.
Video of May 5, 2007 arrests in the park around the All-Russia Exhibition Centre:
*http://users.livejournal.com/_hvoya_/50204.html
Those arrested in the park were released without fines in around 3 to 4 hours. The Cannabis Walk in the park at the All-Russia Exhibition Centre, was the second part of the May 5, 2007 Global Marijuana March (GMM) in Moscow. The park is located at the VDNKH metro station on the north end of the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line (line number 6 on the map to the right).See:
*Wikipedia: VDNKh (Moscow Metro)
*Wikipedia: Moscow Metro
*Wikipedia: Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line
See this Moscow metro map: 
*http://www.wtr.ru/moscow/eng/metro/metro.html - Arbat Street is located between the Arbatskaya and Smolenskaya metro stations in the west of Moscow (left side of the map within the circle).
More photos with forums:
*http://lenta.ru/photo/2007/05/05/marijuana/
*http://web.archive.org/web/20070509014225/http://blancanevies.livejournal.com/432177.html 
*http://seva-otmorozkof.livejournal.com/21071.html
*http://sportloto80.livejournal.com/92719.html GMM at the park.
*https://archive.is/20131014235650/gazeta.ru/2007/05/05/oa_238380.shtml Click arrows under the photo to see the slideshow.
Info in English:
*http://web.archive.org/web/20070508132829/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/05/07/024.html 
*http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070505/64952829.html
*http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070503/64837337.html
*http://www.kommersant.com/p-10661/r_530/marijuana_march/
*http://www.kommersant.com/p763789/Rally_Protest_Marijuana/ Sentencing.
*http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2007/may/06/marijuana_activists_brutalized_b
*http://stopthedrugwar.org/taxonomy/term/197 Sentencing.
*http://www.legaliz.info
MMMworld Yahoo Group messages: 
531 532 533 534 535 550 553 569 570 
Home: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mmmworld
CannabisAction Yahoo Group messages. 
1366 1367 1368 1370 1371 1376 1377 
Home: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cannabisaction
--- Original Message ---
Subject: For Interested person: Policemen are beating Marijuana
march activists in Moscow!
Date: Sun, 6 May 2007 04:22:28 +0400 (MSD)
From: Eugene Kazachenko
Dear sisters and brothers!
My name is Eugene Kazachenko. I'm from Moscow, Russia. Today, some
hours ago my friends from Marijuana march were arrested. They tried
to stretch the banner with calling to legalize marijuana. The goal of
this march was legalization marijuana for medical use. Now there are
about 20 people arrested. The police was very cruel with marijuana activists.
With fear for life of our brothers and sisters my friends and I are
receiving periodical news of Radio station "Ekcho Moskvy" - (The Echo
of Moscow": http://www.echo.msk.ru/ ). This is the only free radio
channel, which real informs of social and political life in Russia.
It informs that Police has placed people by faces on the ground.
Police has dragged girls upon the ground and has beaten young men.
Policemen have banged young men by their faces about parked cars. In
the police department some young activist was beaten so cruel that
this has caused coming an ambulance.
The representatives of The Federal service of drug control have
accused all delaying activists in biased attitude to narcotics.
Without any reason they have accused participants of Marijuana March
in propaganda of narcotics. At the police department some policemen
are trying to plant the drugs to activists. However attorney was not
passed to his clients for legal defense. On entrance with the
sub-machine-gun in hands the policeman did not let to attorney to
come into the door of the police department.
Marijuana March was organized by Cannabis Legalization League
(Please, visit http://www.legaliz.info/ ). At this moment all of
delaying marijuana activists are in Presnentsky administrative
(misdemeanor) court of Moscow (phone number of this court: +7 495
254-53-59). They are accusing for undertaking unsanctioned meetings.
This position of government disagrees with 31 articles of The
Constitutions of Russian Federation and Public International law.
Though many religious confessions concern with a rehabilitation and
spiritual counseling for drug abusers, however they never call any
attention in regard to the realistic position of medical cannabis.
Regrettably Christians and other religious circles of Russia do not
raise a voice in rights protection of drugs consumers from
unjustified state repression.
Because of unchangeable and increased repressive policy of Russia in
attitude to consumers of drugs the religious figures are positioning
itself apart of to questions of government drugs policy.
Hypocritically the majority of them tacitly agrees with official drug
policy or on the pattern of flattering politicians they loudly
convicts all people, which voice opinion for legalization hemp as a medicine.
With respect,
Eugene Kazachenko
(MDiv of Moscow Theological Seminary).
E-mail: e_kazachenko(at)yahoo.com; sabba(at)fromru.com 
Mob: +7 916 9808590 
---end of forwarded message---
More 2007 GMM Moscow info in Russian:
*http://community.livejournal.com/carians/207069.html
*http://denis-de-vienne.livejournal.com/79193.html
*http://bizzzon.livejournal.com/14069.html
*http://web.archive.org/web/20070502085949/http://news.mail.ru/incident/1321942/ 
*http://bocharsky.livejournal.com/250902.html
*http://dmitrivrubel.livejournal.com/773068.html
*http://love5an.livejournal.com/112805.html
*http://micello.livejournal.com/25488.html
*http://hleg.livejournal.com/827083.html
*http://community.livejournal.com/legal_team/109481.html
*http://community.livejournal.com/legal_team/108772.html
More Moscow 2007 GMM photos and police action
*http://users.livejournal.com/_sonica_/384591.html
*http://cooland.livejournal.com/481924.html
*http://boozze.livejournal.com/24170.html
*http://rimona.livejournal.com/140792.html 
"Putin skinhead whores report":
*http://web.archive.org/web/20070509082039/http://matilda-don.livejournal.com/270778.html 
*http://v-alksnis2.livejournal.com/20652.html
*http://ipch.livejournal.com/78486.html
*http://web.archive.org/web/20070619142622/http://evgen-v.livejournal.com/152993.html 
*http://www.dpni.org/articles/lenta_novo/1423/ 
---
Press release below for April 27, 2007 press conference in Moscow called "Cannabis - Hemp is useful!" Maria Smirnova translated the press release.
Cannabis Legalize League invites you to attend a press-conference in a round-table format, "Cannabis - Hemp is useful!", that will take place on April 27, 2007 in Moscow, Russia.
Discussion of the following subjects:
* Current legal status of hemp and its derivatives, future prospects for reform of Russian and international law regarding hemp use in agriculture, industry and medicine.
 
* The Prospects of therapeutic cannabis for a wide spectrum of diseases. The achievements of world medicine.
 
* The possibilities of hemp use in agriculture and industry; economic, ecological and technical advantages of hemp compared to the competition.
 
* Myths and facts about psychoactive hemp.
 
* Pros and cons of hemp legalization. Various legalization models. Economic effects.
We expect famous experts in drugs, Russian and international politics, journalists, cultural workers, FSKN and MVD representatives to attend this press-conference.
If you have any suggestions about the subject matter of the round table or you wish to present your own report, we are pleased to consider it.
Please, inform us whether you will attend not later then April 17, 2007 by e-mail: mariasmirnova(at)gmail.com , ussserge(at)gmail.com or call +7.905.5756331, +7.926.2299830
Link:
*Russian: http://www.legaliz.info/9/news/113
This info was translated by Maria Smirnova. Her blog:
*http://hvoya.blogspot.com
*http://www2.blogger.com/profile/06525150861526655853
== 2006 ==
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GMM, May 6, 2006:
*Всемирный Конопляный Марш в Москве. Открытое письмо мэру Москвы – Лужкову Ю.М.
*Media: http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11505912
*Flyers: legaliz.info/Agit/6_May_Stickers_A6.pdf. Right-click link and save PDF.
*Concerning "Moscow Canna Be-In" | Лига Легализации Конопли / Cannabis Legalize League. In 2006 the organizers gave up an idea of a the march as a street procession. Near the Fountain "Friendship of Nations", at the All-Russia Exhibition Centre took place "The Canna Be-in". In spite of presence of some aggressively disposed citizens, the be-in passed without arrests and rather peacefully.
More info: 
There were no arrests in 2006 at the Moscow Global Marijuana March. The disorders announced beforehand by nationalists on the Internet did not take place at the All-Russia Exhibition Centre. The cannabis walk, which was organized by Cannabis Legalize League instead of the march prohibited by the Moscow authorities, went off calmly. There were no incidents first of all because of the work of Moscow police which was well prepared for them. At 5 pm about 200 people gathered at the fountain "Friendship of peoples" behind the lens of numerous cameras and under protection of police and OMON. Many of them were dressed in colorful clothes with symbols of the prohibited plant. Cannabis walkers were communicating, singing, playing the drums, some of them were publicly smoking cannabis. A group of several dozen of young men, led by the deputy of the State Duma from LDPR party Nikolay Kurjanovich, could only throw up their hands and scan several times: "Drug users! Get out of Russia!" and "The Christ has revived! " The improvised political debates on the policy in the sphere of drugs, which took place between the deputy Kurjanovich and the secretary of "Russian Radicals" movement Nikolay Khramov near the same fountain behind the cameras, aroused a special interest of press, cannabis walkers and their opponents. 
An Interfax article: 
Apr 27 2006 1:07PM. 
Attempts to hold pro-marijuana march are provocative - drug service.
MOSCOW. April 27 (Interfax) - Attempts by supporters of the legalization of marijuana to hold a march in Moscow in early May are a provocative act, head of the Federal Drug Control service's interdepartmental affairs and information department Lt. Gen. Alexander Mikhailov told Interfax on Thursday. "Russia is growing hemp for economic needs. The produce is limited to economic needs and everything else is the work of the devil. Legalizing the plant as a narcotic drug is out of the question. The issue should not even be discussed," Mikhailov said. Supporters of the legalization of marijuana have asked the Moscow administration for authorization to hold a march in early May. Similar requests were made in previous years, but all of them were turned down.
Reports, media: Всемирный Конопляный Марш 2006 в Москве | Лига Легализации Конопли / Cannabis Legalize League. Google translation: 
English translation.  
World Hemp March 2006 in Moscow
Published in SergE May 7, 2006 - 18:00
10:00-12:00. Planting trees in the forest park "Kuskovo"
14:00-15:00. PICKET IN SUPPORT Demonstration in Pushkin Square
17:05 -... Hemp FESTIVITIES near the fountain "Friendship of Peoples" FOR ENEA
Planting trees in the forest park "Kuskovo"
In Forest Park "Kuskovo" activists and supporters of the League carried 33 landing larches. Action is dedicated to the victims of "war on drugs" (drug war), began in 1933 in the U.S. administration, "Prohibition," which grew out of the world drug mafia, has penetrated almost all government and paralmenty world.
PHOTO
05/07/2006
Hemp WORLD MARCH - 2006. MOSCOW. 14:00 - 15:00.
PICKET IN SUPPORT Demonstration in Pushkin Square
radikaly.ru:
About 15 activists of the League of legalizing hemp and the movement "Russian Radicals" held this afternoon at Pushkin Square to protest against the ban by Moscow authorities on the intended day of the march of hemp in the international campaign Global Marijuana March.
Guarding the demonstration the police shortly after it began, however, require the organizers to remove the flags of the legalization of hemp League, as their presence allegedly did not meet the stated objectives of the action in the notice. Time remaining protesters stood with uplifted empty shafts in protest.
polit.ru:
This year's bid to host the World march of hemp have filed 189 cities. At Moscow activists drawn from the "legalization of marijuana League 'notice of a procession from the Old Arbat to Pushkin Square metropolitan government rejected" due to the fact that the objective stated in the notice of public events suggests a violation of the ban on promoting drugs. " Organizers of the "hemp march" was considered such a waiver illegal, because the shares are not intended in any way advocate the illegal use of illicit psychoactive substances. Requirement of the organizers came down to political claims based on Article 29 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, freedom to seek, receive, transmit, produce and disseminate information by any lawful means. Raising the issue of revision of existing law with regard to cannabis, the organizers were guided by their constitutional right to direct participation in managing state affairs (Article 32 of the Constitution), as well as the principle of ideological pluralism, laid the foundation of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation (Article 13 of the Constitution). In this regard, the Moscow City Court has filed an application for recognition of the failure to conduct "hemp march" illegal.
In today's demonstration, held in Novopushkinsky Square, was attended by a dozen community activists. They unfurled a banner "For the freedom of demonstration," and raised the flags with the symbol of "legalizing hemp League." The representative of the prefecture of the Central Autonomous demanded the protesters to remove the flag as not conforming to the application picket. Although these guidelines are not within the purview of city officials, in order to avoid a confrontation with police picketers submitted the request and continued to stand empty shafts, said in an interview with reporters that the government once again highlights the illegal demands. According to Dmitry Zlotnikov, one of the activists of the "League of legalization of cannabis", Moscow became the sole capital of the "Big Eight" in which the conduct of Global Marijuana March this year was denied. In his view, it can not affect negatively on the image of Russia on the eve of the summit of "Eight", which will be held in St. Petersburg in July this year.
After graduating from the picket to the participants who were walking in the area of ​​the Tver parkway, approached by several riot police and threatened with physical force required to leave at once. After that, the activists for "legalizing hemp League" has for a long time continued to follow the three members of security forces in civilian clothes.
PHOTO
Hemp WORLD MARCH - 2006.
MOSCOW. 17:05 - ...
Hemp FESTIVITIES near the fountain "Friendship of Peoples" FOR ENEA
polit.ru:
The second part of the shares today was not a political organizer and was named "Hemp festivities." About a hundred fans of cannabis and its derivatives at the call of "LLC" gathered at 17:00 at Friendship Fountain on the All-Russian Exhibition Centre. An attempt to disrupt the event was noted by a group of nationalists, is approximately equal to the number of the participants 'walks'. Supporters and opponents of the legalization of soft drugs entered the war of words, but the overflow into a brawl conflict prevented delivered to AREC and riot police forces.
The purpose of "hemp march" was to be an attempt to appeal to the Russian society and the authorities to stop criminal and administrative prosecution of psychoactive cannabis users, a maximum simplification of licensing activities related to the cultivation of cannabis and its technical processing, lift the ban on therapeutic use of cannabis and its derivatives. The current situation, according to activists for the legalization of cannabis derivatives - hashish and marijuana - contributes to the fact that the main fight narcotics police are with the consumers of soft drugs, but not with distributors, particularly opiate drug group, which are deadly to humans, resulting in contrast of marijuana and hashish physical dependence. Such a situation, the advocates of legalizing marijuana, it is advantageous primarily to drug traffickers and corrupt power structures, earning millions of dollars in profit from the illicit trade in drugs.
radikaly.ru:
Previously announced by the nationalists on the Internet at VVC riots did not happen. "Hemp festivals" organized by the League of the legalization of hemp instead of the Moscow authorities banned the march, passed quietly and without incident in the first place - thanks to well prepare for the police. About 200 people gathered in 17 hours under the lens of numerous TV cameras and guarded by policemen and riot policemen in Fountain "Friendship of Peoples", many of which - in a colorful dress with the symbols of a prohibited plant, talked, sang, played drums, some - smoking in public ' shoals. "
Yavivshasya on "Hemp festivals," a group of several dozen young people, led by State Duma deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party, Nikolai Kuryanovich, limited by the fact that the throwing arm, several times in unison chanted "addicts - get out of Russia" and for some reason, "Christ is risen."
Of particular interest is the press held immediately aroused when a large concourse of spectators impromptu political debate on television between the deputy and the secretary Kuryanovich "Russian Radicals" Nikolai Khramov on drug policy.
Statement by Nicholas Khramova:
"I am grateful to the many dozens of young men and women who came to participate in the festivities hemp, not afraid abundantly penivshihsya eve online threats against protesters. I am also grateful and deputy Kuryanovich, who had come to, as I understand it, peacefully express their position on the legalization of marijuana - though diverging radically from the position as antiprogibitsionistskoy radicals and LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
Special thanks I would like to make the leadership of the Moscow police, employees of police and riot, which provided a model of public order during the festivities and hemp prevent provocation and violence, even if it's someone else planned.
All together now we have successfully complete the task facing us as organizers of this campaign antiprogibitsionistskoy: to promote the deployment of a public debate on the substance of policy proposals antiprohibitionist - legalized in one form or another now prohibited narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (first of all - the so-called "light drugs ", ie cannabis and its derivatives) as a means to undermine the prohibition of drugs based on the power of the drug and to establish on these substances effective government control.
Meanwhile, the critical interpretation of results of the current failed drug policy, is free debate on this subject - is precisely what most supporters are afraid to maintain a system progibitsionizma from bosses drug and its voluntary or involuntary lobbyists in government (including Federal Drug Control Service Guide) to their cannon fodder in the form of a "politicized" street hooligans and aggressive small mongrels Runet strochaschih letters demanding to turn the discussion of "inconvenient" at Live Journal. "
PHOTO
svoboda.ru:
Arslan Said: In Moscow on Sunday were "The onoplyanye celebrations", the organizers are required to legalize marijuana and decriminalization of its consumption. At Fountain "Friendship of Peoples" at the Exhibition Center gathered not only the supporters of legalization, but her opponents.
Michael Salenko: Moscow "Hemp festivities" began on Sunday at five o'clock in the afternoon. The organizers - members of the League of legalizing marijuana - have decided to hold them in place of "hemp march" that Moscow authorities did not allow. On why the place was selected festivals Fountain "Friendship of peoples" in the All-Russian Exhibition Centre and what the requirements are walking, I told one of the activists of the League of legalizing marijuana Sergei Konstantinov.
Sergei Konstantinov: You can see in the center of the fountain, under the sunflowers - hemp. In general, in the 30s in Russia was a four-fifths of the world volumes of technical hemp, it was 900 000 hectares. At the moment, only 10 thousand hectares. Here there is hemp, a symbolic place for our movement.
Our claim, rather, targets the event, which was to be held on the Arbat, the following: changes in government policy on regulation of psychotropic and narcotic substances, in this case, cannabis, simplification of licensing for the cultivation and processing of technical grades of hemp and lift the ban on therapeutic use of cannabis and its derivatives.
Michael Salenko: Secretary of the movement "Russian Radicals" Nicholas Temples also believes that the state should legalize marijuana and regulate its production and distribution, getting from this additional funding in the form of tax revenue.
Nicholas Temples: Enter the same regulatory requirements for production, trade, taxation, what is there for the alcoholic beverages or tobacco products. Another question that these proposals are not implemented anywhere yet, including in Holland, because Holland is not the legalization of soft drugs, there is a more tolerant policy toward drug use. You are legally entitled to acquire in the Hoff-shop hashish or marijuana, or the owner of Hoff-shop has the right to sell it at retail, but there is no place where he can buy it in bulk. Because wholesale purchases for these shops Hoff made for the back door, so to speak, all at the same drug traffickers because of the legal market does not exist. And here is not that the Government of the Netherlands does not want to go further. The fact that there is a UN convention, which obliges the state to just such a restrictive policy. It is impossible to legalize marijuana in one country, it is necessary first to denounce or to modify at least three UN conventions. Here's the drug policy is clearly enough proved a failure and inefficiency.
Michael Salenko: In addition to the supporters of the legalization of hemp, to the fountain "Friendship of nations" come and its opponents. Opponents of legalization led State Duma deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the Duma's security committee Nikolai Kuryanovich. Two of Nicholas, Temples and Kuryanovich peacefully to debate whether or not to legalize hemp and marijuana, as well as harmful to the health of its use.
Nikolai Kuryanovich: Yes you can, if desired, such to have to buy drugs now, even here without a problem. But if we imagine at ENEA in pharmacies would sell them now, probably even now one of the challenges here would come up and said, "Dyke me a bong, I turf."
Nicholas Temples: Nicholas, but vodka is sold, but nothing terrible happens.
Nikolai Kuryanovich: What happens?
Nicholas Temples: There is, of course. But it's much worse than it would if it was banned, then can be etched or palituroy hell knows what else. And Al Capone would have appeared again, as in America in the 20s.
Nikolai Kuryanovich: Same analogy can hold the line. How would the same thing now cheap drugs go, they will be easily accessible.
Nicholas Temples: Why cheap?
Nikolai Kuryanovich: Because if the drug mafia ...
Nicholas Temples: No, Nicholas, wait, we are talking about what? We are talking about drugs or we're talking about marijuana? It's all different things.
Nikolai Kuryanovich: We believe on the contrary, these are the things of the same order. On the severity of these a little different. After all, people start to smoke marijuana first, and then move to heavier drugs.
Nicholas Temples: No, Nicholas, people first start drinking beer, smoking marijuana and then after that heavy.
Nikolai Kuryanovich: Drinking too harmful.
Nicholas Temples: from hemp until no one died, and the vodka we simply dying with terrible speed.
Nikolai Kuryanovich: From hemp why not die, because it is really a transitional bridge from cannabis to harder drugs.
Nicholas Temples: Generally, no statistics. Most likely, of course, those who use hard drugs, they begin with hemp, it's true.
Nikolai Kuryanovich: We can again assume the reverse logical order, if a man in his time had not tried marijuana, it can be switched to harder drugs.
Nicholas Temples: That's understandable. But the fact that not all who start smoking cannabis, moving to hard drugs.
Michael Salenko: Among came to the fountain just young Russian citizens views on the legalization of cannabis and its derivatives, cannabis and mariuhany also divided. Julia and her friends for the legalization of soft drugs.
Julia: No hard drugs, "screws" all sorts and so on heroin - it's awful, it should not be at all.
Michael Salenko: The visitor to the fountain "Friendship of Nations" Michael - the enemy is not only drugs but algokolya.
Michael: Of course, an outspoken opponent. There is nothing good that people just will not. Our people are gullible, simple, more fool the mind pomutnitsya. It will all end badly. We have a healthy and strong Russia, for a healthy lifestyle without drugs and alcohol and their ilk.
Michael Salenko: But what is the opinion regarding the legalization of soft drugs expert of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia Mikhail Narkevich.
Michael Narkevich: I am totally against. Because the step from light to heavy drug - a small step. Where marijuana and recreational drugs, you give a cigarette, in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam you can smoke, there is less of that hard drugs, heroin (I myself was there last year). Methadone - it goes without saying. Already heroin experience is, we were amazed. To some this is necessary, I guess. No control of the state will not, it's all nonsense. We have, according to drug control in our country, six million drug users, 10 years ago was 10 times less. In our country, 70-75 percent of HIV-infected people - drug users. Therefore, we must fight the system, including prevention, investigation of all causes at all. I also think that drug-free world - a utopia, it is. But this does not mean that they should be promoted, they should be allowed.
Michael Salenko: Hemp festivals supporters and opponents of the legalization of soft drugs in Fountain "Friendship of Peoples" ended peacefully to the sounds of "tam-tam." Last but not least thanks to the presence of considerable number of police with dogs and a bus of riot police. (Probably due to the large number of journalists - approx. Edition of the site.)
== 2005 ==
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GMM. May 7, 2005:
*user.it-orbita.ru - Archived here. 
*user.it-orbita.ru/~4may Archived here. Google translation: 
English translation.  
Hemp will march across the planet , except for Moscow. For the simple reason that the initiative group of citizens (the organizing committee of the march of hemp), intending to organize a march in the capital, made a great folly - has decided to keep the law. The due date (27.04.2005) [April 27, 2004] in the Prefecture of the Central Administrative District of Moscow filed notice of a march of hemp. 05/04/2005, [April 5, 2005] the Prefecture of the employee responsible for receiving notifications, reported the following: "... A march of hemp? course, forbidden! As in the past year . Here employees of the constantly ringing, are interested ... You will not hold an unauthorized rally as in the past year? Look more carefully, in Moscow intensified regime ... "
So. In Moscow there will be a march of hemp. It would not be in the form which was planned - with banners, flags and rally. Will not, because Prefecture CAO shamelessly violated the Federal Law "On Meetings, Rallies, Demonstrations, Marches and Pickets": the only thing that the authorities were entitled to do is three days after receipt of the notice, the organizers propose to change the time and place of the action. But this was not done.
This is to inform employees of the Prefecture of esteemed TSAO of Moscow and personally Mr. Baidakova (prefect CAO) that will not hold any unauthorized mass demonstrations that are described in the notice filed by April 27.
But to worship the memory war poet Bulat Okudzhava Shalvovich on the eve of Victory Day is not entitled to prohibit any one prefecture of the world, even if it's prefecture of central district of the capital of the victorious country. Therefore, we ask all who have gathered to honor the memory of Bulat Okudzhava, May 7 on the Arbat, do not bring any banners or posters. We strongly recommend not bringing anything illegal and to abstain from both banned and legal substances. Arbat - the street poets, musicians and artists, so very relevant in the Arbat tricolor berets, drums, jew's harp, dreadlocks, warm hearts, clean hands, cool heads and good vibrations ...
May 7 - Day of Remembrance of Bob Marley.
For victory! For our victory!
== 2004 ==
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GMM-MMM, May 4, 2004. Saturday:
*4may.by.ru - archived here. List of all URLs archived for this domain is here.
*http://grani.ru/Society/Health/m.69123.html
*Photos: http://grani.ru/Events/m.69130.html
*Photos and reports: CannabisCulture.com forum thread.
== 2003 ==
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GMM-MMM, May 4, 2003. Sunday:
*Report: 2003 Million Marijuana March. High Times article. By Peter Gorman. May 08, 2003. Reports from around the world.
:From Moscow, the Moscow team wrote to say that their MMM was held on Sunday, May 4 as a Smoke-In for Human Rights. At noon, about 20 activists gathered on Pushkin Square in the center of the Russian capital, where they smoked up while posting stickers and distributing a petition to legalize marijuana and the MOZG harm-reduction magazine. Members of the reggae band Jah Division were in attendance, and passersby joined the festivities as well to listen to what was being said.
:“At one point, Dima, an activist, was passing out literature and asked to leave his spot, an underpass, by a policeman. He refused and the policeman was joined by others until there were eight cops to the one activist. ‘Then we explained to them that legalization meant state production and supply of drugs, therefore controlling the drug trade. They understood it the way cops would we able to open their own shops and sell drugs, which actually cheered them up. But they still thought it unrealistic, so they asked us to leave the underpass, and promised that next year they would smoke with us.’”
*Report compilation from CannabisCulture.com has this:
:"In Moscow, 20 activists came together in Pushkin Square to smoke pot, post stickers, hand out the harm-reduction magazine MOZG, and display a petition to legalize pot. A possibly unpleasant situation involving one activist and eight policemen was diffused when legalization was explained to the cops as something that would be mutually beneficial. The activists were still asked to leave the underpass they were occupying, but not before the police promised to smoke pot with them next year."
== Event graphics and photos ==
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See: Flat list of event graphics and photos. Alphabetical order by city. There are many more images there than is shown below (in desktop or "full site" view).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
= Categories =
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Category:Cities