Putin Government Arrests Leading Critic While Changing Definition of Treason To Allow Prosecution Of Journalists, Human Rights Activists, and Dissidents

The world has watched as Russian President Vladimir Putin destroys the fledgling democracy movement in Russia and reinstates authoritarian government to that nation. While actively (and admittedly) crafting a cult of personality around manufactured Superhuman exploits, Putin has striven to reinstate the oppressive laws from the Soviet era. In the face of continuing protests, Putin appears intent to show that he can and will do anything he wants with critics. This month his underlings arrested the best known protest organizer Sergei Udaltsov while his government has shutdown international human rights organizations and NGOs. At the same time, his government has passed a new law in the lower house of the Duma to radically expand the definition of treason in Russia. Udaltsov led the largest protests against Putin as part of a campaign of “Russia Without Putin.”


Russian prosecutors used a documentary on a pro-Kremlin TV channel to accuse Sergei Udaltsov of plotting “mass disorder.” The Putin government used the case as an excuse to search the homes of critics — a classic Soviet era tactic.

The police say that the documentary showed that Udaltsov received money and orders from an ally of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to cause unrest in Russia.

Police say that they suspect Uadltsov and his associates of planning “terrorist acts” in Russia. It is a telling allegation since the Putin government has moved to radically expand the definition of treason in Russia.

The Putin government issued a statement that is clearly designed to chill anyone who joins the anti-Putin protests: “Those who think they can with impunity organize riots, plan and prepare terrorist attacks and other acts that threaten the lives and health of Russians, you underestimate the Russian special services’ professionalism.”

This menacing message was amplified by the new legislation. The law passed in the lower house makes it treason not only to pass on state secrets but receiving, transmitting or publicizing such information. That would bring protesters and journalists within the scope of the law in publicizing crackdowns by Putin and human rights abuses. It will be considered treason to reveal such information to international organizations, which have been the target of much of the crackdown by Putin who is embarrassed by the continuing international criticism of his authoritarian inclinations.

The law also lowers the standard to remove the requirement that prosecutors show “hostile intent.” Now all that is required is that the Putin government show a “threat to state security,” which they largely define.

Source: Reuters and FT

51 thoughts on “Putin Government Arrests Leading Critic While Changing Definition of Treason To Allow Prosecution Of Journalists, Human Rights Activists, and Dissidents”

  1. Thanks for finally writing about >Putin Government Arrests Leading Critic While Changing Definition of Treason To Allow Prosecution Of Journalists,
    Human Rights Activists, and Dissidents | JONATHAN TURLEY <Liked it!

  2. Sean Hannity should be the propaganda spokesman for Putin. He would accuse criticis of being unpatriotic and not geting behind the president. He could use Ann Coulter to call critics of Putin, traitors.

  3. http://truth-out.org/news/item/12312-binders-of-generals-how-the-romney-campaign-advances-the-corruption-of-our-military-brass

    Binders Full of Generals

    Thursday, 25 October 2012 10:51 By Dina Rasor, Truthout | Solutions

    “Longtime military watchdog and Truthout editor Dina Rasor paints a well-informed picture of what might be motivating the 359 retired senior military officers endorsing the GOP presidential candidate, and asks: if we continue to allow them and their peers to throw their rank around in the political arena, what message does that send to more junior members of the military, not to mention the public.”

  4. “It is simply eating the icing before sampling the cake.”

    There were a few times I did the same and they were learning experiences. Mostly, I never had sex with anyone that I didn’t know and like as a person first.

  5. Hotsie totsie, I smell a Nazi. – Curley.

    What do you expect the former head of the KGB to do once in power? You folks in Russia had a thaw under Gorhabhov and now you have your Stalin back.

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