Russian opposition and human rights activists applied to the Moscow City Hall to hold a March of Dissent on August 31 at the Triumfalnaya Square in downtown Moscow, the Other Russia opposition party executive committee head said.
Opposition groups hold Marches of Dissent on the last day of each 31-day-month in defense of their right to freedom of assembly, as enshrined in Article 31 of the Russian Constitution.
"Today we have again applied to hold a protest [March of Dissent] on August 31 at Triumfalnaya Square," Alexander Averin said. "But I think we will be denied anyway, they have a motor festival scheduled for this day," he continued.
Moscow city authorities have regularly turned down requests from Russian opposition groups to stage March of Dissent rallies.
The Moscow authorities said earlier they would thwart any "unauthorized" protests in front of the City Hall.
Earlier this month Lyudmila Alexeyeva, a Russian human rights activist and head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, said she would try to receive the authorities' permit for the next March of Dissent.
Moscow authorities may allow holding a March of Dissent if the applicants are changed, Alexeyeva said earlier.
"The applicants remained the same, Alexeyeva, [the Other Russia controversial writer and activist Eduard] Limonov, [opposition member Konstantin] Kosyakin," Averin said. "This time no one suggested we change the applicants," he continued.
"Even if we are denied again, we will take to Triumfalnaya Square," Averin continued.
Around 200 protesters turned out for a March of Dissent rally on Triumfalnaya Square on July 31 to demand freedom of assembly. Some 75 were hauled away in police vehicles.
Nearly 200 protesters were detained during a rally on May 31, causing public outrage, as riot police far outnumbered demonstrators and people with disabilities as well as a World War II veteran were reportedly among those detained.
On Thursday, two human rights advocates were detained along with 35 other protesters after staging an anti-government rally in front of Moscow City Hall.
Lev Ponomaryov and Sergei Udaltsov of the For Human Rights and Left Front groups were detained after leading a Day of Wrath protest against Mayor Yury Luzhkov's policies.
MOSCOW, August 16 (RIA Novosti)
