May 31,2012.Russian democratic forces demanded freedom of assembly and the right to protest. Freedom of assembly is guaranteed in Article 31 of the Russian Constitution but has been a glaring casualty of the rise of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Human rights activists regularly try to stage demonstrations on the 31st day of the month to draw attention to the repression of public dissent by Putin`s government. Pictured: a democratic activist wearing t-shirt with anti-Putin image in central St.Petersburg.