Russia has shown again how the dream of post-Soviet civil liberties has plummeted under the authoritarian ambitions of Vladimir Putin. On Wednesday, a Russian court sentenced a blogger to five years in jail for extremist views and advocacy. Terrorism? Religious fanaticism? No, Vadim Tyumenstev, 35, from the Siberian region of Tomsk, encouraged people to protest against corruption and high transport fares.
Local officials were incensed by the public discussion of their corruption and incompetence as well as his criticism of pro-Kremlin separatists in eastern Ukraine. Rather than refute the claims, they arrested him. The simply said that his call for people to attend a protest against the hike in local bus fares constitutes a call to overthrow the government.
It is a familiar approach in Russia from the Stalinist era. Of course, we must now just call it the Putinist era.
Odd. I’ve written about the threat to incarcerate me I received from a Federal Judge, even though I had done nothing to deserve it, which he denied making and for which I have proof. How easily lawyers in America blast corrupt courts and judges abroad while hiding behind their silence in the home of the brave, in the land of the free.
Paul,
I bought the one you have when I was in my early twenties and the other one a few years ago. I inherited the former from a relative. I am fortunate in that the cost is going down recently but it will likely go up in the future I suppose.
I looked into your recommendation a couple years ago but it isn’t needed just yet.
Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.
d
Darren – it is sent
John,
It would be helpful for you to refrain from the name calling and mocking of other commentators’ names if you wish for your comments to remain. You have been told previously about this as well have seen over the months that doing this leads to difficulties with others. The removal of your posts is not arbitrary but a consequence of your actions. At any time you can correct this matter or chose to go elsewhere to find a forum where name calling is welcomed.
You can refer to the Civility Rule established by our host HERE.
It reads in pertinent part:
I am not going to debate the matter with you, so you will have to decide for yourself if codes of conduct such as this do not comport to your expectations for what a blog should be.
If you wish to provide a commentary for others to review that contributes to the betterment of this blog by offering different views on the various topics we provide you are welcome to do so. But if you are not able to do so with a minimal and obvious amount of required decorum you are better served finding an audience that admires such communications. This is not one of them.
Darren Smith – could you please contact off line. I have some info for you.
Apparently the “tipping point” was passed long ago and the new paradigm is “aggregated power” in the executive branch, acquiescence in the legislative and judicial, and censorship in the kingdom, including censorship on the Turley Blog.
America is headed far from freedom and self-reliance beginning with free speech.
Prepare yourselves, Comrades, for the “dictatorship of the proletariat” of the collectivist police state.
On Wednesday, George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley testified before a congressional committee that he believed President Barack Obama has “exceeded his authority” as the nation’s chief executive. He added that, in spite of the fact that he supports Obama’s policy aims, he believes the president may be moving the country toward a “constitutional tipping point.”
What say you now?
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing” – Edwin Burke