Russia ► 5-year prison sentence in Bolotnaya case On 10 October a Moscow court sentenced Dmitri Ishevski, accused in the Bolotnaya case – pertaining to a mass opposition rally on 6 May 2012 that ended in clashes with police – to 3 years and 2 months in prison. The trial took 2 days; Ishevski plead guilty. Prosecution had demanded 5 years. Ishevski was accused of throwing objects at the police. ► Law to compensate Russian individuals for their losses in EU sanctions passed in 1st reading On 8 October state Duma passed in a first reading a draft law that would allow compensation from state budget of Russians for losses in trials abroad deemed ‘unlawful.’ Opposition MP Dmitri Gudkov believes the law’s main aim is to compensate frozen assets of President Putin’s allies that fell under Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict. He wrote: ‘United Russia has devised a way to return Rottenberg and Lesin their assets that were frozen abroad, as well as all others that have fallen under the sanctions.’ It emerged on 23 September that Italy froze assets of major Russian businessman and longtime Putin friend Arkadi Rottenberg, including 3 villas in Sardinia and a hotel in Rome. Gazprom-Media board chair Mikhail Lesin was under a US investigation in July, with real estate worth over $28mln in California. Only a year ago Russian government was against a law to compensate individuals’ losses in court cases abroad, but completely turned around on the issue, sparking accusations that the measure is meant to compensate Putin’s allies that have fallen under Western sanctions. Critics have dubbed the law ‘law on Rottenberg’s villas.’ On 3 October Rottenberg said he doesn’t plan to compensate his losses from the state budget. ► Suicide bomber in Grozny On 5 October in the Chechen capital Grozny a suicide bomber detonated a bomb at the entrance to a concert celebrating the day of the city. The explosion took place just before the metal detectors; killing 5 police officers and injuring 12. No civilians were injured. Law enforcement considers is a terrorist act. ► Charges crumble in Navalny case On 2 October during the trial against opposition leader Alexey Navalny the charges of the prosecution seemed to crumble, as their main witness, general director of the Russian Post Igor Mandrikin said that the cooperation of Russian Post with the Navalny brothers did not, in fact, result in any material loss by Russian Post. The Navalny brothers are accused of defrauding Russian Post. ‘Do you realise that you just destroyed the accusation story?’ Navalny (a lawyer by vocation) asked the witness. Mandrikin only replied that he is ‘shocked.’ This is not the first instance of a witness for the prosecution in this undercutting the accusation. At the hearing on 9 September Navalny noted that 10 witnesses for the prosecution spoke out in his favour. At the moment he remains under house arrest with a ban on any outside communication, which severely limits his political activity. ► Putin says Ukraine will keep its territories if it ‘respects’ all inhabitants On 2 October President Putin said Ukraine will keep its territorial integrity if it ‘respects’ all inhabitants of the country without exception, clearly referring to Russian-speakers, and not to the Crimea. ► Russia opens criminal case into ‘genocide’ of Russian-speakers in Ukraine On 30 September the Russian investigative committee opened a criminal case into alleged ‘genocide’ of Russian-speaking population in Donbas (Eastern Ukraine; Donetsk and Luhansk regions). Ukraine responded by opening a criminal case against members of the Russian investigative committee. Ukraine’s security service at the same time published information about alleged ‘concentration camps’ near Donetsk, which they say were organized by the pro-Russian separatists. Russia’s investigative committee says that starting 12 April this year, ‘unidentified persons within the highest political and military command of Ukraine’ have given orders aimed at the full annihilation of the Russian-speaking citizens on the territory of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk ‘people’s republics.’ ► MoD on opposition MP Dmitri Gudkov’s question on deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine On 29 September opposition MP Dmitri Gudkov reported that he received a response from the Ministry of Defense to his question about alleged deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. The reply speaks of ‘rumors disseminated mainly by Ukrainian and Western mass media,’ saying ‘the Russian Federation is not a party to the conflict between the Ukrainian government forces and the inhabitants of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that do not agree with the national policies.’ In his request Gudkov had included a list of names of soldiers that have presumably died in Ukraine, asking to confirm whether or not those soldiers exist. The MoD replies that based on Federal Law on personal data, ‘presenting such information is not possible.’ Gudkov commented that he didn’t actually request any personal data; and that if the information were untrue, the MoD would have said so instead of ‘covering itself with the […] federal law.’ Gudkov had also asked about alleged awards of some soldiers for their actions in Ukraine, but the MoD replied that the awards were given for ‘a high level military accomplishments and bravery,’ without going into detail. The issue was brought to light by a Pskov MP Lev Shlosberg, who was beaten after going to the media with information he received from soldiers and their families. ► Russian MFA at UN slams the West On 27 September Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov addressed the UN General Assembly, slamming the US for its foreign policy and harshly criticizing the Ukrainian authorities in relation to the events in its eastern Donbas region. In particular Lavrov said that the Western ‘alliance’ headed by the US acts on the international arena contrary to the principle of soveireign equality of all UN member-states and ‘attempting to decide for everyone what is good and what is evil.’ He also accused it of resurrecting ‘bloc thinking’ and a faulty ‘us-them’ logic. On 28 September Lavrov said that Russia and the US may need a ‘reset 2.0.’ ► Opposition leader Alexey Navalny’s party registers in 43 regions; but can’t run in elections On 25 September Alexey Navalny’s opposition Party of Progress managed to register 43 regional chapters, which will allow it to run in elections. The party was founded in 2012, but was only officially registered in February 2014. It ran into many difficulties, including having to decide on its name in secret, after its intended name was stolen by others just days before planned registration. However, on 2 October a representative of the Justice Ministry said the party would not be allowed to participate in elections: it had to have its 43 chapters ready within 6 months of its own registration; a term that expired on 25 August. ► Member of the European Parliament stopped at Russian border as persona non grata On 25 September Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Rebecca Harms (Greens) was stopped at the Russian border, not allowed to enter, and declared persona non grata. The MEP was travelling to Russia to attend the trial of Ukrainian military pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, who is accused of participating in a murder of two Russian journalists. Harms spent 3 hours at the airport and was then put on a flight back. She was also told that any further attempt to enter Russia would be considered a criminal offense. Harms planned to participate in a monitoring mission of NGOs that stand for a fair trial of Savchenko. Harms’ press service said the participation of small NGOs is insufficient; larger international attention is needed, which is why she decided to participate. Her press-service believes the barred entry is related to the new sanctions introduced by Russia, probably referring to statements by a Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative, Ivan Soltanovski, who in answer to a question on whether or not entry limits would be introduced for EU citizens said Russia does not exclude ‘any response measures.’ On 2 October the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused a request by European Parliament president Martin Schulz to publish the black. ► Peace march supported by 29% of Russians On 25 September Levada Center’s survey found that 29% of Russians support the Peace Marches taking place across the country in protest against the interference of Russia into the internal affairs of Ukraine. The survey shows that 6% ‘definitely support’ such actions and 23% ‘rather support’ it. Ánother 49% doesn’t support it, down from 54% in March. 23% were indecisive, up from 18% in March. Those ready to go out and protest constituted 12% of respondents (down from 13% in March), mainly in the age segment 25-39. Least ready to protest were 18-24 year-olds. The last Peace March took place on 21 September in Moscow and some other cities. In the Public Chamber the participants of the march were called ‘traitors’ that execute a political order by the US.
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:48:29 +0000
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