The "Yabloko" party has sent a notification to the Moscow city hall about its intention to organize a mass rally in support of the messenger Telegram and the right to free access to information. According to a press release from the political party, the document was signed by Chairman Nikolai Ryabakov, Federal Committee member Ivan Bolshakov, and head of the Moscow branch Kirill Goncharov.
The rally is scheduled for March 1, 2026, in "Zaryadye" Park, and up to 5,000 people are expected to participate. Party leaders emphasize that according to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the authorities have no legal grounds to prohibit this action, and any attempts to hinder the rally will be regarded as political pressure.
"We demand an end to the practice of blockages and respect for our rights. If the authorities try to ban the rally, it will be their political decision, not a legal one," noted Nikolai Ryabakov. Representatives of "Yabloko" call Telegram "the last space of freedom" in the country and warn the authorities against attempts to "suffocate the voice of millions of Russians through censorship."
The reason for the protest is the sharp increase in pressure on the messenger in February 2026. It should be noted that on February 10, Roskomnadzor began large-scale throttling of Telegram's operations in Russia, explaining its actions by the need to comply with legislation and combat extremism. Since the summer of 2025, restrictions on video calls in the messenger had already been introduced, and there were reports of a possible complete blocking of the service starting April 1. "Yabloko" believes that such actions violate citizens' constitutional rights to use convenient means of communication.
