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Opposition activists flock to central Moscow to commemorate slain politician Nemtsov and condemn constitution amendments Opposition activists flock to central Moscow to commemorate slain politician Nemtsov and condemn constitution amendments
(31 minutes later)
Thousands of people have attended marches in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, on Saturday, to commemorate Russia's former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, who was murdered five years ago in the capital.Thousands of people have attended marches in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, on Saturday, to commemorate Russia's former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, who was murdered five years ago in the capital.
The memory of Nemtsov, a veteran politician who became a leading figure in the western-leaning opposition after the turn of the century, is a unifying point for various anti-Kremlin political groupings who are frequently at odds with one another.The memory of Nemtsov, a veteran politician who became a leading figure in the western-leaning opposition after the turn of the century, is a unifying point for various anti-Kremlin political groupings who are frequently at odds with one another.
Leaders of the march, who have described themselves as “pretty much the entire democratic spectrum” in Russia, expected that as many as 30,000 people would participate in the Moscow event, according to the application sent to the mayor’s office. The opposition-aligned "White Counter" monitor claimed 22,300 took part, while police estimated the number of attendees at 8,000.  Leaders of the march, who have described themselves as “pretty much the entire democratic spectrum” in Russia, expected that as many as 30,000 people would participate in the Moscow event, according to their application to the mayor’s office. The opposition-aligned "White Counter" monitor claimed 22,300 took part, while authorities estimated the number of attendees at 10,500. News outlet 'Znak' said 1,500 were at the Saint Petersburg commemoration. 
The rallies are the first major Russian protests since September last year, and organizers hope to revitalize the anti-government sentiment which fed several mass protests in 2019. The rallies were the first major Russian protests since September last year, and organizers hoped to revitalize the sort of anti-government sentiment which fed several marches in 2019.
The protesters are carrying both Russian national flags and ones representing political movements, along with a big banner at the front of the crowd which reads ‘The mastermind of the murder must be in jail’. They are chanting anti-government slogans as they advance through the streets, which have been closed to traffic.  The protesters carried both Russian national flags and ones representing political movements, along with a big banner at the front of the crowd which read ‘The mastermind of the murder must be in jail’. They chanted anti-government slogans as they advanced through the streets, which were closed to traffic. 
As well as demanding further investigation into the murder of Nemtsov, the protesters are objecting to the planned amendments to the Russian constitution. As well as demanding further investigation into the murder of Nemtsov, the protesters objected to planned amendments to the Russian constitution.
The amendments include a two-term lifetime limit for presidential office – as opposed to the current rule, which merely restricts consecutive terms – along with giving the parliament additional powers to appoint the prime minister and some of his cabinet members and make other changes to the way the country is governed. The proposed changes include a two-term lifetime limit for presidential office – as opposed to the current rule, which merely restricts consecutive terms – along with giving the parliament additional powers to appoint the prime minister and some of his cabinet members and make other changes to the way the country is governed.
The organisers of Saturday's demonstration see them as an attempt “to usurp” power, and insist Nemtsov would have been opposed, if he were alive.The organisers of Saturday's demonstration see them as an attempt “to usurp” power, and insist Nemtsov would have been opposed, if he were alive.
This assessment unsurprisingly made its way into the headlines of some Western media outlets. AFP’s report about the protests uncritically labels the amendments “Putin’s ‘leader-for-life’ reforms” from the start and states they will be “the first changes to the basic law since 1993”. The Russian constitution was amended in 2008 to extend the terms of the president and the parliament, in 2014 to change the structure of the Russian judiciary, and on numerous occasions to reflect changes in the Russian administrative division. READ MORE Tribute to Nemtsov: Thousands join Moscow march in memory of slain Russian politician
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Before the demonstration the opposition activists said they were surprised that the city government agreed to their suggestion for the march with no objections. Russian law says authorities may reject an application for a mass event, but they must offer an alternative. Opposition groups claim the government often abuses its authority and uses red tape to disrupt their plans. Before the demonstration opposition activists said they were surprised that the city government agreed to their suggestion for the march with no objections. Russian law says authorities may reject an application for a mass event, but they must offer an alternative. Opposition groups claim the government often abuses its authority, using various sorts of red tape to disrupt their plans.
Similar smaller-scale protest events are being held in several other Russian cities, including Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Oryol and Voronezh.Similar smaller-scale protest events are being held in several other Russian cities, including Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Oryol and Voronezh.
Nemtsov, who served as governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region in the 1990s before joining the national government, was a prominent liberal political figure in Russia. He was once touted as a possible successor to Boris Yeltsin as Russian President, but the fallout from the 1998 financial crash, which crippled the economy, damaged his prospects. Nemtsov, who served as governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region in the 1990s before joining the national government, was a prominent liberal political figure in Russia. He was once touted as a possible successor to Boris Yeltsin as Russian President, but the fallout from the 1998 financial crash, which crippled the economy, damaged his prospects. 
He was assassinated in central Moscow on the night of February 27, 2015. In 2017, five Chechen men were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for carrying out the killing, but the mastermind behind the hit was not identified by investigators.  Out of power, Nemtsov was strongly critical of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev's governments. He supported Ukraine's pro-Western course, hoping it would inspire a similar process in Russia and opposed Moscow's reabsorption of Crimea in 2014. Nemtsov was also openly critical of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and often castigated Kremlin policy towards the republic. He objected to holding the 2014 Olympics in his native Sochi, and made a series of allegations concerning corruption in the preparations for the games. In 2009, he ran in the mayoral election in his home town. 
While Nemstov remained important in liberal circles, by 2015 he was no longer a major national political figure. His status in the western-leaning opposition had been usurped by a younger generation of activists, such as Alexei Navalny. Meanwhile, many of his old allies were no longer active domestically. In a 2013 poll from independent pollster Levada, 6% of respondents approved of him. 48% disapproved & 46% didn't know anything about him. In 2014, Levada found he had the second highest "anti-rating" among prominent Russian political figures, after nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who leads the LDPR party. 
Nemtsov was assassinated in central Moscow on the night of February 27, 2015. In 2017, five Chechen men were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for carrying out the killing, but the mastermind behind the hit was not identified by investigators. 
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