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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsValdmir Putin's Russia: Criticize the Government and Your Family Will Be Locked Up in a Penal Colony
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/12/valdmir-putins-russia-criticize-government-and-your-family-will-be-locked-penal-cThe show trial of one of Valdimir Putin's chief political critics ended today. He was convicted and banned from political office for ten years, but the sentence was suspended and he immediately joined a protest march upon his release. So what happened next?
Well, that's not so bad. Maybe Putin is lightening up a bit. Except for one little thing:
So they let Aleksei go free in order to keep him from being a martyr, but tossed his brother into prison as a hostage to his good behavior. Charming. A spokesman admitted that Putin "had been aware of the Navalny case, but that Tuesdays ruling 'isnt important enough to merit a special report' to the president." I actually believe this. For Putin, it's just another day at the office.
The police in Moscow briefly detained the anticorruption crusader and political opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny on Tuesday as he tried to join an unauthorized, antigovernment rally, just hours after a Moscow court had given him a suspended sentence on criminal fraud charges. Yet, in a sign of how unwilling the authorities are to make a martyr of Mr. Navalny, they said later that the police were merely escorting him back to his home, Interfax reported.
Well, that's not so bad. Maybe Putin is lightening up a bit. Except for one little thing:
His brother Oleg was jailed for three and a half years for the same offence....Navalnys supporters said the Kremlin was returning to the sinister Soviet-era practice of punishing the relatives of those it disliked. Upon hearing the verdict, mumbled quietly by the judge, Yelena Korobchenko, Alexei Navalny rolled his eyes and looked at his brother.
....Oleg Navalny is the father of two small children and a former executive of the state-owned postal service. Unlike his better known brother, he has never played a role in the Russian opposition movement. His imprisonment in a penal colony seems to echo the Soviet-era practice of arresting the relatives of inconvenient people.
So they let Aleksei go free in order to keep him from being a martyr, but tossed his brother into prison as a hostage to his good behavior. Charming. A spokesman admitted that Putin "had been aware of the Navalny case, but that Tuesdays ruling 'isnt important enough to merit a special report' to the president." I actually believe this. For Putin, it's just another day at the office.
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Valdmir Putin's Russia: Criticize the Government and Your Family Will Be Locked Up in a Penal Colony (Original Post)
uhnope
Dec 2014
OP
Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested! Therefore, it is okay for Russia to do whatever it
chrisa
Dec 2014
#16
When all else fails, make up something nobody ever came close to suggesting.
Nuclear Unicorn
Dec 2014
#10
Because... 'Freedom!' And what does the Libertarian trio have to say about this? *crickets*
freshwest
Dec 2014
#18
True Blue Door
(2,969 posts)1. In Putler's Russia, questions beg YOU (not to ask them).
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)2. False equivalence/"America does it too" in 3...2...1...
Cha
(297,304 posts)4. But, What does RT have to say about it?!
Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)9. The work of fascists being supported by American neocons, obviously. nt
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)11. I don't recall a major arrest of a leading opposition figure here.
Since MLK.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)13. Hence the "false" part. (nt)
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)14. Right, but even the examples are slim.
Not like other examples we can think of such as how we go to war, etc.
chrisa
(4,524 posts)16. Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested! Therefore, it is okay for Russia to do whatever it
wants! The two are completely the same thing - I swear!
/RT
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)3. They also moved this up
as large demonstrations in support Mr. Navalny were being planned. I guess Russia does not like freedom of speech, wow am I surprised.
Putin does not want anyone that can challenge him.
I am sure RT will have an unbiased story and we will get the "real" truth from some of the Putinistas here very soon.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)5. Like Father, like son.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)6. But WE live in a police state, according to many. nt
dissentient
(861 posts)7. Time to send some of our "freedom bombs" over to Russia
Because it has worked out so well in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)10. When all else fails, make up something nobody ever came close to suggesting.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)12. Yeah, that's totally not a ridiculous strawman at all.
zappaman
(20,606 posts)15. Welcome to DU!
Enjoy your stay!
lpbk2713
(42,759 posts)8. Is it time to start calling Putin Dear Leader?
He has something in common with another lunatic.
chrisa
(4,524 posts)17. They have tea and a pajama party every Friday. They're BFF's!
freshwest
(53,661 posts)18. Because... 'Freedom!' And what does the Libertarian trio have to say about this? *crickets*