This week, the Supreme State Attorney Igor Striz of the Czech Republic announced that the country is moving to criminalize speech supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin or the Russian invasion with sentences of up to three years. It is a curious way to fight tyranny . . . with tyrannical measures against free speech.
According to TN Nova, Czech police were already investigating dozens of cases.
Striz is reportedly relying on sections 365 and 405 of the Czech Criminal Code, which state that whoever publicly approves a crime or publicly praises the perpetrator can be imprisoned for up to a year, and that anyone who “publicly denies, questions, approves or seeks to justify Nazi, communist, or other genocide” can face a jail sentence of up to three years.
The laws would be unconstitutional in the United States. People often dismiss such objections as noting that other countries do not have the same commitment or protections to free speech. That is certainly true but it ignores that many of us believe that free speech is a human right. This is a denial of a right that should be protected in any country with such rights as free exercise.
The police have reportedly tweeted that “we have recorded dozens of internet comments expressing approval for the Russian invasion and the activities of the Russian army. We are closely monitoring the online sphere and apologize for not responding to every sign in the posts.”
If true, it is an affront not only to free speech but the cause of supporting Ukraine. This is not an anti-Putin measure. It is precisely the type of measure used by Putin.
What is so striking is that this is a great example of where good speech will triumph over bad speech. The world is speaking with one voice against the war crimes being committed in Ukraine after this unprovoked and unjustified invasion. Indeed, Putin bizarre propaganda and crackdown on Russian media is only magnifying his lies and abuses. Ironically, there is no need to arrest the minority of voices supporting Putin or his war. Yet, people want the satisfaction of arresting those with opposing views. They are wrong. They degrade themselves, their country, and this cause with such anti-free speech measures.
“Biden wants alternatives to Putin’s oil and gas.”
How about here, at home?
“Inflation here is out of control,” due to the Biden administration throttling our energy industry, government’s profligate spending, and the Fed’s creation of fiat money.
Jonathan: As Putin continues his invasion of Ukraine the attention is now on Venezuela not the Czech Republic. Oil prices are rising dramatically causing much of our inflation. Biden wants alternatives to Putin’s oil and gas. But that means engaging with Venezuela that has the largest oil reserves and it’s output is growing despite US sanctions. The Maduro government and Putin just announced a “strategic partnership”. That sent off alarm bells in Tony Blinken’s office. It should be remembered Venezuela has long been a thorn in the side of the US. Trump loves “autocrats” like Putin but pledged to overthrow the “socialist” Maduro government. He cut off diplomatic relations with Venezuela in 2019 and supported opposition leader Juan Guaido. Trump even backed mercenaries to invade and topple the Maduro government. That plot failed when 2 US mercenaries were caught and confessed about US involvement. In the waning days of his rule Trump imposed oil and other sanctions on Venezuela. That was the situation when Biden came into office. He and Blinken pledged to continue the Venezuela sanctions and they have. Which just proves the observation that the US foreign policy consensus doesn’t change–whether Republican or Democratic. It’s practically seamless.
Until now when Blinken/Biden sees Venezuelan oil as an alternative to Russian oil and gas. Inflation here is out of control, due in great part, to rising gas prices at the pump. So Biden/Blinken want to stop the Maduro/Putin “partnership” and make gas prices cheaper for US consumers. Even conservatives in the US are now pro-Maduro. For the first time US oil companies see an opportunity to gain access to Venezuela’s oil. So over this week end Blinken sent senior officials in the State Department to negotiate with the Maduro government. This is the first time the US has talked to Maduro since 2018 when Trump imposed a virtual blockade of the Maduro government. So what can be expected from the negotiations? Probably not much. Will Maduro give up his close relationship with Russia? Probably not. Will he allow US companies to exploit Venezuelan oil after he pledged to fight “imperialist” attempts to take over Venezuela’s precious resource. Even more unlikely. Blinken doesn’t have much leverage over Maduro. After years of crippling sanctions and attempts to overthrow him what incentive does Maduro have to negotiate with the US? To get Maduro’s attention Blinken would have to do a 180 on longstanding US policing–ending the sanctions and accepting Maduro as the legitimate president. That would be a bridge too far for not only the foreign policy establishment but Republican and Democratic politicians. The blowback would be enormous.
All of this just proves again the law of unintended consequences. When you try to overthrow another government because you don’t like its “socialist” leader and you impose drastic sanctions on a country sitting on top of the world’s largest oil reserves you can’t always predict the long-range consequences. Bliken is finding this out in spades.
The western press – and some here- breathlessly accuse Putin of “war crimes” but what exactly are they. Dying civilians? Fallen nuclear reactors? Bombing cities? All could or could not be based on a myriad of factors. Here’s a good nontechnical summary for those willing to learn and not merely vent:
https://nypost.com/2022/03/04/has-russia-commit-war-crimes-in-the-ukraine-war/
Approval of a criminal offense is a criminal offense in the Czech Republic. Nothing has changed.
If someone celebrates the genocide of the civilian population in Ukraine, they should be prosecuted.
This law is applied by a democratic judiciary that examines the legal aspects of a particular potential crime.
The decisions of the court where the unconditional imprisonment is decided are units. In 2019, 3 people were sentenced to unconditional imprisonment.
Yes, no one in the Czech Republic can dress up as a Nazi with impunity, including Nazi symbols, and call for the domination of a white-pure race in public. In the US, yes.
For example, we have zero mass shootings in schools. We don’t have the death penalty. In 2020, 130 murders were committed in the Czech Republic. What about You?
Vlad the Mad will nuke not puke.
Václav Havel is rolling over in his grave…
Do not worry. Everyone can appeal their case from the local Court through the entire judicial system to the Constitutional Court. And if he has doubts about his conviction in the Czech Republic, he can appeal to the European Court. And if the European Court finds that its rights have been violated, the Czech judicial system will abide by this decision.
Vaclav Havel is resting in peace.
NATO: “If we let Ukraine into NATO, then Putin might invade. So we better not. That way, Putin won’t invade.”
Newsflash: Putin invaded anyway.
If Ukraine were in NATO, the inevitable invasion would have been less effective.
SWAT teams “take out” criminals for doing one millionth of what Putin has done.
Ukraine should have signed a binding contract to never join NATO. Ages ago NATO should have agreed to never allow Ukraine into NATO. These 2 items are Putin’s sole justification for war. Even after Putin invaded Zelenskyy should have surrendered. This would have saved the lives of thousands of innocents and would have saved the world from careening head first into nuclear winter. Surrender is always the best option to avoid war.
Anyone who suggests this war justifies the coming inflation rate, oil prices (the 2 are permanently inter-dependent,) the threat of nuclear winter, etc. is insane, a tool for the MIC or both. The only ones guaranteed to profit from this war are bankers and ammo/war weapon makers.
Follow Ret. Marine Lt. Colonel Smedley Butler’s admonishment: all wars are banker’s wars. Watch the all-time best movie The Americanization of Emily.
Or …Putin shouldn’t have invaded another country. Putin is the one who started “this war.”
It’s ludicrous to suggest that “Surrender is always the best option to avoid war.” Next you’ll argue that the U.S. should have surrendered to Japan and Germany in WW2.
Assassinating Putin would end the carnage, which is good thing, so Graham has nothing to apologize for.
November elections are probably a factor in the Biden administrations stance on Ukraine.
Putin would not be able to prosecute the war further if his weapons were destroyed.
Putin would not have been able to prosecute the war if Biden hadn’t funded Russia’s military machine with his policies on oil. Oil is Russia’s cash cow, and prices have risen tremendously. Even today, Biden refuses to cut off Russia from oil profits that keep Putin’s military supplied.
Go ALL IN or pay more later on. How much do we want this?! So far, Putin shows he wants it more!!!
The Russian people should have a revolution against Putin and hang his body from a gas station, like the Italians did to Mussolini, which would be a fitting end for Putin, as Russia has been described as a giant gas station masquerading as a country. I once had a neighbor like Putin. He talked tough and would talk about what he would do to people if they did this or didn’t do that. One day we got into a fight, and I messed up his face pretty bad with my car keys. He started the fight, but when things went badly for him, he wanted the fight to stop. The cops came and took him to jail. He was a submissive pussy cat towards me after that. We had an unspoken understanding. He never harrassed me again. If the Ukrainians can beat up the Russians this badly, just imagine what NATO could do.
The air forces of countries can act independently of NATO if they want to.