Activist groups operating in Russia are set to have the screws turned on them after Russia’s parliament began debating new proposals to fine people thousands of pounds and offer lengthy jail terms simply for blocking traffic.

Each individual caught blocking vital roads or railways could face fines worth up to £2,500 and up to two years in jail if the new rules go through.

The current debate is thought to be the direct result of an escalating series of conflicts between workers and Russian business magnates, who have been less and less willing to pay wages on time as the economy continues to stagnate.

Left and right wing protests have also been growing in recent years.
Factories in factory towns have been blocking roads to bring attention to their cause with some success, as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been dragged out of Moscow to remonstrate with bosses.