Russian parliament passes bill boosting fines for protesters 150-fold

The upper chamber of Russia's parliament yesterday approved a bill that raises fines 150-fold for people taking part in unsanctioned rallies. The legislation, which passed in the lower chamber only after unprecedented debate, now needs only President Vladimir Putin's signature to become law.

 The measure has been seen as the Kremlin's harsh response to a series of street protests against Putin's 12-year rule and is part of a broader crackdown on the opposition since he returned to the presidency in May.
The Federation Council voted 132-1 to support the bill after a short debate. The only vote against came from the mother of Ilya Ponomarev, an opposition lawmaker in the lower chamber who has joined the protest movement.
On Tuesday, members of the lower chamber debated the bill for some 11 hours before the Kremlin's United Russia party rammed it through at midnight. The opposition factions in the State Duma had put forward several hundred amendments in an unprecedented attempt to stymie the bill's passage, reflecting a new willingness to stand up to the Kremlin.