7 ms·
Anti-corruption blogger Navalny sentenced to 5 years behind bars
- anovikov 13y agoAs a Russian, i support that. He was too stupid to try fighting the system openly, playing on their own field.
- cseelus 13y agoDidn't he announce to run for moscow major? As a Russian, maybe you can explain what exactly he did wrong?
- sojorn 13y agoIndeed, he did announce that. He had a good chance of winning this election (even with outrageos cheating from the Putin's part (another candidate is just Putin's puppet who uses his mayor's powers to embezzle money from Moscow's budget)). He exposed the ruling party, or, to be more accurate, the "cream of the crop" of this party who, through numerous schemes, suck money from Russia and from taxpayers' money). He was widely regarded as an annoyance to Putin and his friends (all of whom became billionaires). Navalny did nothing wrong and is a real patriot of the country, but unfortunately the Law doesn't work in Russia because Putin directly or indirectly controls it all. This trial is a theater and was only done to deprive Navalny of any future political activities (several weeks ago the very same party passed a law that prohibits convicted people from being elected anywhere). The judge built this trial on top of the words (with no proof) of an executive of this company (who obviously have been forced to slander Navalny and who said during the trial that "I don't remember the exact details, but Navalny is guilty". It became so funny that the prosection had to read to this executive what he has to say during the trial). The judge barred more than 10 witnesses of the defense, and basically didn't allow the defense to present any evidence that implies Navalny's innocence (independent audit reports, for example). Judges who find guilty otherwise innocent opposition members get awarded with appartments and get another luxurious incentives. It wasn't a trial, it was a circus. But hey, even circuses have better and more professional clowns.
- demetrius 13y agoEven if someone is stupid, it is not a valid reason to put them into prison unless he commited a crime. Which Navalny didn’t, obviously.
- qwerz123 13y agoCould you tell us why you so sure?
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- terabytest 13y agoWhy is fighting openly a bad move? If it's true that the case that got him in jail was fabricated, he's been detained in an unjust way and he doesn't deserve it just because he fought openly. I think he'd actually deserve even more praise for being open about his identity and fighting the system directly.
- quantumpotato_ 13y agoI think anovikov is trying to say that it is futile to fight the Russian government openly.
- wslh 13y agoThat applies with almost every government, Their power is "infinitely asymmetric". Nowadays the way to gain symmetry is knowing a lot about computer security...
- anovikov 13y agoNot only futile, but people doing so are only reinforcing the government's case (because they show people that at least some of the 'enemies' they are pretending to fight do really exist).
- conductor 13y agoI see this in this manner: smart people in Russia know that the government is evil and that it can (and will) abuse its power to ensure they reserve their power and money. They know democracy doesn't work as intended, it's a theater. Contrary to that, people of the western world still believe that they can oppose an abusive government in courts and by voting for another government.
- guard-of-terra 13y agoThey aren't exactly smart in the sense that they don't have any plan for government evil. They're not smart in the Paul Graham, problem-solving, bold ideas way. Rather they are cynical and "understanding" in the grumpy old man manner.
- mars 13y agoDude, wtf? Are u serious? This guy did nothing wrong. He's a journalist and it seems like you don't get the idea of freedom of speech. Maybe it's because of people like you that the Russian government can do whatever it wants.
- Elhana 13y agoWhile he was working as an advisor for Kirov district governer, he supposedly forced contracts with disadvantageus prices on state owned company with a total of 16 mln rur (roughly 500k usd). I didn't read court documents, but I wouldn't be surprised if he actually did. Fact that he blogged about corruption for a few years doesn't make him innocent, but government probably would never looked into it if he'd keep quiet.
- af3 13y agoИдiотъ
- sesm 13y agoSo, if you personally don't like him, then the government can fabricate whatever case to put him in prison? Seems legit.
- rorrr2 13y agoThat's Russia for you. Anybody going against the corrupt ruling party is either killed or imprisoned. Actually, it's worse than that. The conviction rate in Russia is something like 99%, meaning that if you get charged with a crime, you will be found guilty. There are judges that have NEVER issued an innocent verdict in their career.
- timw6n 13y agoWhich is not actually that different from the US, where the conviction rate is 93%, of which 97% accepted a plea bargain prior to trial. Source: http://www.justice.gov/usao/reading_room/reports/asr2011/11statrpt.pdf http://www.justice.gov/usao/reading_room/reports/asr2011/11s...
- anonymfus 13y agoBy itself conviction rate is not indicator because there are different requirements for charges in different countries. It's called "inquisitorial legal system" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisitorial_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisitorial_system ).
- yread 13y agoJapan has 99.97%
- Tyr42 13y agoThat's because they drop any case that they have a chance of losing, since it reflects poorly on them.
- teleological 13y agoWait, isn't Russia the "first to stand against human rights violations carried out by the powerful rather than the powerless"? You kidder, you, Edward Snowden.
- guard-of-terra 13y agoEdward Snowden will be more than happy to receive asylum from Germany or Australia but they don't exactly line for that. So he had to settle on Russia.
- teleological 13y agoHe had to settle on Russia because his first choice, China, sent him packing.
- cpncrunch 13y agoExactly what I was thinking. Snowden is either highly delusional or completely out of options. As soon as he doesn't play ball with Putin, he'll be in jail with all the other troublemakers. I can't believe your comment got downvoted.
- jotm 13y agoOf course he's out of options - you'd think an NSA employee would know that Russia isn't exactly a bastion of freedom and justice... But jailtime is worse...
- znowi 13y agoAlthough, the charges may be true, the case is undoubtedly politically motivated. Incriminated $500K is a tiny drop in the ocean of "approved" corruption routinely carried out by the state officials and their affiliated companies. When a big fish is "caught" (mostly due to "falling out of favor", not actual crime committed), if it's of the same "party", it's gently ousted out of their position and/or the country for a comfortable retirement. If an opposition - a fancy, exemplary trial is conducted... unless they slip away to the UK :)
- qwerz123 13y agoSo stealing 10.000 cubic meters of wood from organization "Kirovles" is now "political case", "fighting against the system" and "did nothing"? Ok I'll keep this in mind.
- anonymfus 13y agoHe did not steal anything. All witnesses for prosecution said that he was not related to the case, all defence witnesses was not allowed.
- sesm 13y ago> created: 23 minutes ago + 15 rubles
- eps 13y agoOne man's "anti-corruption blogger" is another man's the "US-funded shit-stirring puppet". It's not all exactly black and white, but it is 100% political.
- wwosik 13y agoI don't know the case, but do you think talking about concrete corruption cases is "stirring unrest against legitimate government"?
- pal_dat 13y agoIs it just me or do others also feel that governments all over the world have become intolerant to any kind of anti- establishment movements. There seem to be a ruthless uniting force driving all this across countries whose dark motive seems singular.