During his recent visit to Germany, Russia’s new president Dimitry Medvedev promised to place particular emphasis on developing an independent and reliable legal system in Russia. Together with his often repeated claim that Russia’s democracy does not need an adjective (in contrast to the concept of a “guided democracy” which was the label for the Putin era), this is another example of rhetoric which rises hope that Medvedev’s presidency may bring a change. In order to check his words against future developments, we need to have a clear understanding of the current situation.
Apart from Mikhail Khodorkovsky, there are many other cases of politically motivated trials that lacked basic lawful principles but did not draw much international attention. Who, as a scientist, a journalist, or even an environmental activist must face sanctions of the Russian authorities if they regard their state interests involved when he collects and publishes publicly available information.
For example, Igor Sutyagin, a political scientist in the area of conflict studies, has been convicted to 15 years in prison just because of his studies and publications on Russian strategic weapon systems and due to his cooperation with a British organization. This and other examples made observers speak of a new “spy mania” in Russia.
But not only did Russian authorities violate rights of individuals. NGO’s also became a target of politically motivated harassments. A number of cases that prove that the legitimate work of NGOs has been hindered under extremism-related laws have been reported by Amnesty International.
Please see the attached report in which we present a few cases of human right violations against organizations and individuals. In our opinion, it is not ‘russophobic’ to remind the Russian authorities that they are obliged to comply with international law standards.
And, please spread the word within the social science community about the fate of your colleagues Igor Sutyagin. You may also send petitions in support of him and Valentin Danilov!
Arianna de Mario and Jörg Beige are members of the Berlin based Russia Group of the German section of Amnesty International.
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June 15, 2009
Oleg Mosin
I read your article about human rights abuses in Russia. With coming to power in the Russian Federation forse fraction called "siloviki" with a head of Mr V.V. Putin the total checks of documents by militia and infringement of human rights and police violence have been a common phenomenon in Russia. The militiamen "catch" citizens of a non-russian nationality and checks their documents. As I have noticed they check each second person, whose appearance differs from slavic. That is discrimination on national principle.
The May celebrations in Russia indicated a revival of great consolidation and patriotism among common people over a victory in world war 2 who professed nostalgia for the former USSR and who think the Russia should be by any means a great powerful country again. Ruling over Russia as a Prime Minister the key element in Putin's increasing authoritarianism is his reliance upon the militia, military and, to an even greater extent, upon Russia's internal security affaires – FSB the analog of secret police of the Communist era. It possibly might be said that today the activity of Russia's democratic institutions is dismissed as a farce, while the alleged course toward suppression of freedom and human rights is perceived as an official policy priority while power continues to concentrate in the hands of Mr Putin himself.
Constantly having been exposed for checking out my documents and examination of my personal things by police (militia) due to my half Jewish nationality and appearance, I cannot be free on the streets of Moscow and on territory of the Russian Federation and therefore cannot have all rights and freedoms of a person to be guaranteed by the Declaration of human rights and freedoms and the Convention on protection of human rights.
In 2001 as a result of the next check of documents on an electric train Moscow – Dedovsk employees of militia nearly have not thrown me out from the moving train only because there were not any documents on me. I made an appeal to the municipal Court, but it was in vain to prove my case.
After all these checks I am not able to free moving on the streets of Moscow – I am compelled to constantly wear a cup on my head in order that not to differed from Russians personally I have a negative altitude to the Russian militia – this has became impossible to live in a country which humilates my human rights. I don’t even know what shall I do in such situation - to address to international human rights organizations or emigrate from Russia? But to carry the passport with myself each time as at a military regime I cannot afford, because I am the absent-minded person and am afraid of Russian militiamen. Also I am afraid, when the person in the military form approaches to me with the automatic machine gun in hands and demands to show my documents to him.
The second thing of which I am afraid of much is that my farther for 30 years has worked at the Main Political Headquarters of internal affaires of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR bearing the rank of the colonel and personally knew many today's political and military leaders of this country. Once, it was in 2003 he critically unwisely had expressed in public his own opinion about one person, who occupying a very big position in present Russia. After that, he has got in the Main Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the October Field and has died under rather strange circumstances. I do not build up any analogies, but after his death I am afraid for my own life and life of my mother.
Russia under Putin is a different country then under Eltzin rule. Russia under Putin and Medvedev’s rule is much resemble the former Soviet Union. The key element in Putin's increasing authoritarianism is his reliance upon the military and, to an even greater extent, upon Russia's internal security affaires – FSB the secret police of the Communist era. Putin himself was a KGB colonel. Most of Putin's staff is either from the armed forces or from the internal spy services.
Today the activity of Russia's democratic institutions is dismissed as a farce, while the alleged course toward suppression of freedom and human rights is perceived as an official policy priority while power continues to concentrate in the hands of Putin himself, who is slowly taking more and more control of the Russian Empire, turning it down to former Soviet Union – an isolated state in which KGB agents and secret police rules out.
The key sources of politics are in Russia's imperial thinking and imperial methods, combining with violence, human rights violation, treachery, false ideology, and disingenuous, sophisticated propaganda that were used by the party, the KGB, and the military.
Oleg V. Mosin