Since the presumably rigged elections of December 2011, Russia's parliament — the Duma — has become very prolific in lawmaking. On the surface, that is a good sign because it is the legislature's job to issue new acts and sometimes to amend existing ones in accordance with the current changes in social, economic and political environment.

But the pathos and general direction of recent lawmaking efforts seem to be mostly of a restricting nature and thus narrow political horizon and contract opportunities for the populace to openly display its mood and aspirations. Especially since the inauguration of the current Russian president, the freedom to demonstrate and picket both in favor of peoples' demands and/or against certain government actions has been substantially curtailed.

It looks as if in contemporary Russia the powers that be understand the principle "Everything which is not prohibited is allowed" in a peculiar and not quite typical way. It is common knowledge that this maxim represents an important constitutional principle derived from English law and an essential freedom of an ordinary citizen.