Repression
No Parole For Jailed Scientist
Igor Sutyagin has been denied parole, and transferred to a separate holding cell. The second attempt at parole by Igor Sutyagin, an imprisoned scientist serving time for “divulging state secrets,” has ended in a rebuff. The result of the appeal was revealed by the Public Committee for the Protection of Scientists and Sutyagin’s parents at […]
Oct 29, 2007 | Continued
Larisa Arap: One Month Gone
The outrageous kidnapping of writer and United Civil Front / Other Russia activist Larisa Arap took place at a Murmansk medical clinic on July 5. (Our previous report. A recent report that includes an interview with Larisa’s husband.) The clinic officials who orchestrated her abduction and detention still refuse to discuss her case history or […]
Aug 7, 2007 | Continued
Pointkovsky on Homo Putinicus
Our friend Andrei Piontkovsky has written an informative column in the Moscow Times. In it, the author of the essential collection “Another Look Into Putin’s Soul” examines the phenomenon of accused murder Andrei Lugovoi’s popularity in Russia today. Sharp tongue firmly in cheek, Piontkovsky wonders if Lugovoi should take seriously a Russian interviewer’s thought about […]
Aug 3, 2007 | Continued
United Civil Front Activist Larisa Arap Held
Larisa Arap is a writer and an activist for the United Civil Front, the opposition group founded and chaired by Garry Kasparov in 2005. The UCF has been an integral force in the Other Russia since its inception and Larisa Arap has been active in our activities in Murmansk and elsewhere. Ms. Arap also wrote […]
Jul 29, 2007 | Continued
Boris Nemtsov Speaks His Mind
His Union of Right Forces (SPS) party may still be trying to reach accommodation with the Kremlin, but one SPS founder, Boris Nemtsov, has not let the party’s increasing disillusionment cloud his mind. He speaks out in the English-language Moscow Times editorial. Excerpts: It is disgusting to watch the “Vremya” nightly news on Channel One, […]
Jul 19, 2007 | Continued
WSJ: Putin’s Russia a Fascist State
In today’s Wall Street Journal, Global View columnist Bret Stephens hits various nails on their heads. We are particularly gratified to at last see Putin’s infamous “popularity” not taken at face value in the media. It is a must-read article and we encourage you to share it widely. “For the Sake of One Man” – […]
Jul 17, 2007 | Continued
Dissent in Art
The excellent web magazine Slate has a compendium of political cartoons from around the world, regularly updated. As the saying goes, a picture is often worth a thousand press releases. These below and many others on Putin are found in the Europe index at Slate. The first two are by Yuri Cherepanov, whose cartoons for […]
Jul 3, 2007 | Continued
Rights in Russia: Pushing Back
Recent developments in the Russian courts and parliament make it clear that the Russian opposition movement is having an impact. First we saw a more respectful security presence for our marches in June. We were allowed to march in relative peace, although intimidation and harassment of our activists and organizers continued prior to the marches. […]
Jun 28, 2007 | Continued
Moscow Renaissance Hotel Refuses to Host Other Russia Conference
On June 7, 2007, the Other Russia contacted the Renaissance Hotel [owned by the Marriott Group] in Moscow to reserve space for the second Other Russia Conference, scheduled for July 7-8. They replied with a price quote and after brief negotiations we awaited their final confirmation. Instead, on June 14th, we received a rejection of […]
Jun 19, 2007 | Continued
Sun Shines, Police Lock Down Moscow March
Nearly 2000 people came out to the Other Russia rally in Pushkin Square in Moscow today. They listened to human rights and political leaders from across the broad ideological spectrum of the Other Russia pro-democracy coalition. They included Alexei Navalny of Yabloko, Garry Kasparov of the United Civil Front, Eduard Limonov of the now-banned National […]
Jun 11, 2007 | Continued