Salenko Alexandr
This article provides the comparative constitutional research of the Public Assembly Law in Germany and Russia. In particular, the author examines constitutionality and permissibility of children’s participation in public assemblies. Using examples of real cases from Germany and Russia, the author considers conflicting views regarding participation and non-participation of minors in the different type of political rallies, such as assemblies, meetings, demonstrations, marches, and pickets. The article systematically reviews the existing international standards on freedom of peaceful assembly, relevant domestic legislation and legal practice with regard to public events with the participation of children (i.e. citizens under 18 years of age). The author focuses on restrictions existing in German and Russian laws concerning children’s participation in public assemblies. In particular, the Russian Public Assembly Law limits the rights of minor children to organize three types of the public events (demonstration, march, picket). The German legislation – in the vast majority of the federal states (Bundesländer) – contains a clause, which states that as the marshal (Ordner) must act only adult citizens; however, it should be noted that in remaining three federal states (Bundesländer) – Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein – there are no limits on children’s freedom of the peaceful assembly. Special attention is given to the analysis of the provisions of the Russian educational law; in particular, the author investigates the principle of political neutrality of education and professionalism. According to this fundamental principle, any form of political agitation and campaigning is categorically prohibited in educational organizations; their workers are not allowed to advocate either for or against participation (non-participation) in any type of public assemblies. Based on comparative research, the author provides recommendations to prohibit involvement of children into so-called unauthorized public assemblies. However, the author stresses that this ban should be established in the Russian Law (namely, in the Russian Code of Administrative Offences) in the separate article, which would assign general liability for any involvement of minors in any type of administrative offences (not limited merely to prohibition children’s involvement in so-called unauthorized public assemblies only).
Keywords: children, minors, constitutional capacity, Grundrechtsmündigkeit, assemblies, meetings, demonstrations, marches,pickets, freedom of peaceful assembly, public assembly law, public event organizer, marshal, Ordner, political neutrality of education, Germany, Russia, Federal Republic of Germany, Russian Federation.