Blockchain-based referendum challenges President Putin’s inauguration ceremony

Just days after President Vladimir Putin’s controversial inauguration, a bold challenge to the Kremlin’s stranglehold on Russian democracy is set to unfold in the heart of Moscow. On Friday, May 10, Mark Feygin, a figurehead in the opposition movement and former Pussy Riot lawyer, is leading a referendum calling into question the legitimacy of the recent Russian election. This is not just a protest, it is a statement of opposition using technology.

Feygin’s weapon of choice is Russia2024, a new application that implements the cutting edge of surveillance-free voting technology. Developed using Rarimo’s Freedom Tool, the app is designed to allow Russians to vote under the watchful eye of government scrutiny by leveraging blockchain technology and zero-knowledge cryptography. The initiative is the first live protest vote on Russia2024, which has served as one of the few platforms for public opposition in Russia since its launch in March.

As Lasha Antadze, co-founder of Kiev-based Rarilabs, explains, Freedom Tool was created “to give a voice to people living under oppressive regimes.” The deployment in Russia represents a pioneering example of how technology can protect privacy and maintain the integrity of expression in an environment hostile to public conversation.

Russia2024’s mechanisms are both secure and sophisticated. Voters verify their eligibility by scanning their biometric passport via smartphone. Once authenticated, this data grants anonymous voting, severing all links between the voter’s identity and the ballot, and is then recorded on the blockchain, making it impossible to tamper with.

This technological marvel solves the critical dilemma of verifying voter eligibility while maintaining anonymity. Moreover, its open-source and license-free nature means that Freedom Tool could revolutionize the way dissent is expressed not only in Russia but around the world.

Despite Russia2024 promises, the Kremlin did not sit still. After the app was announced, government efforts to curb its influence were swift, including temporary removal from the Apple Store and coordinated attempts to tarnish the app’s reputation through state-sponsored negative reviews. Nonetheless, these tactics were significantly undermined by the whistleblower’s revelations, which led to a surge in support for the platform among the public.

As the Fagin referendum approaches, the world is watching closely. The results will not only test the effectiveness of blockchain in political activism, but also suggest the technology’s potential to redefine the boundaries of freedom of expression. As dissidents like Feygin continue to use digital tools to challenge authoritarianism, questions remain: Can technology truly change the scale of the fight for democracy?

The broadcast of Feygin’s Russia2024 announcement can be watched here and Rarimo’s summary of the app launch, stress tests and broader vision of the protocol can be read here.

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