“Political prisoners” back in the news
Russia’s opposition calls for their immediate release. PM Putin denies their existence. A list of 39 names, headed by that of Khodorkovsky, is made public.
Moscow (AsiaNews) – Once common under Soviet rule, the demand to the Kremlin for the release of “political prisoners” made in the latest anti-government demonstrations caught the attention of Russian media. Days after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that there were no political prisoners in Russia, two opposition figures, journalist Olga Romanova and State Duma member Gennady Gudkov, presented the presidency a list of 39 inmates they say were convicted for political reasons.
The list includes former oil company executive Mikhail Khodorkovski and his business partner Platon Lebedev, who were jailed on fraud and tax evasion charges. Human rights activists believe they were convicted for challenging Putin during his first presidential mandate.
“Literally, of course, we don’t have political prisoners, we don’t have charges, say, for anti-Soviet propaganda or anti-Putin propaganda,” Gudkov said. “But the political nature of many criminal prosecutions is perfectly obvious.”
Gudkov said that organisers of the protest expect a public reaction from President Dmitry Medvedev on the topic by the end of February. Alexei Mukhin of the Moscow-based Center for Political Information think tank said the president could pardon some of them.
Other “political prisoners” are Other Russia Party activist Taisiya Osipova, the mother of a five-year-old girl convicted on drugs charges, and Interior Ministry officer Sergei Arakcheyev, sentenced for killing three civilians during the military conflict in Chechnya in 2003.
Although Russian law provides no punishment for peaceful political activity, the Criminal Code does prosecute people involved in “extremism”, something that can be used against banned radical groups such as the National Bolsheviks or, increasingly, Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The lack of a legal definition of political prisoners and disparate political agendas have led to bitter disputes among Russia’s opposition groups on who exactly they want to see freed.
Radical opposition leader Eduard Limonov, who has seen dozens of followers jailed for non-violent acts, such as the occupation of government buildings, does not recognise Khodorkovsky as a political prisoner.
“He is not in jail for his political beliefs, he is in jail for economic crimes,” Limonov told RIA Novosti. “I feel sympathy for him, but let’s be precise, it’s my people [members of unregistered The Other Russia nationalist party] who are in jail for their political activity,” he explained.
Khodorkovsky and Lebedev are on Amnesty International’s list of prisoners of conscience.
Extreme nationalist groups also claim to have political prisoners. However, for Ilya Yashin, the leader of the Solidarnost opposition group, “those who defend their political interests with the help of gun and force” cannot be called “prisoners of conscience”. (N.A.)
The list includes former oil company executive Mikhail Khodorkovski and his business partner Platon Lebedev, who were jailed on fraud and tax evasion charges. Human rights activists believe they were convicted for challenging Putin during his first presidential mandate.
“Literally, of course, we don’t have political prisoners, we don’t have charges, say, for anti-Soviet propaganda or anti-Putin propaganda,” Gudkov said. “But the political nature of many criminal prosecutions is perfectly obvious.”
Gudkov said that organisers of the protest expect a public reaction from President Dmitry Medvedev on the topic by the end of February. Alexei Mukhin of the Moscow-based Center for Political Information think tank said the president could pardon some of them.
Other “political prisoners” are Other Russia Party activist Taisiya Osipova, the mother of a five-year-old girl convicted on drugs charges, and Interior Ministry officer Sergei Arakcheyev, sentenced for killing three civilians during the military conflict in Chechnya in 2003.
Although Russian law provides no punishment for peaceful political activity, the Criminal Code does prosecute people involved in “extremism”, something that can be used against banned radical groups such as the National Bolsheviks or, increasingly, Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The lack of a legal definition of political prisoners and disparate political agendas have led to bitter disputes among Russia’s opposition groups on who exactly they want to see freed.
Radical opposition leader Eduard Limonov, who has seen dozens of followers jailed for non-violent acts, such as the occupation of government buildings, does not recognise Khodorkovsky as a political prisoner.
“He is not in jail for his political beliefs, he is in jail for economic crimes,” Limonov told RIA Novosti. “I feel sympathy for him, but let’s be precise, it’s my people [members of unregistered The Other Russia nationalist party] who are in jail for their political activity,” he explained.
Khodorkovsky and Lebedev are on Amnesty International’s list of prisoners of conscience.
Extreme nationalist groups also claim to have political prisoners. However, for Ilya Yashin, the leader of the Solidarnost opposition group, “those who defend their political interests with the help of gun and force” cannot be called “prisoners of conscience”. (N.A.)
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