Helsinki

“I’m Afraid It’s Not the Court Making the Decision”

February 24, 2014

This interview occurred before the sentencing earlier today, resulting in prison terms ranging from two and a half to four years. The sentencing was attended by protests which have been met with a sever clampdown by the Russian authorities, a situation which is being covered in a liveblog here. — Ed. On 21 February, Judge Natalya […]

Pussy Riot Attacked with Whips by Cossacks in Sochi

February 19, 2014

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, along with several other performers, activists and journalists, have been attacked by Cossack paramilitary police while attempting a protest performance in Sochi this afternoon (RT has removed their video so we have replaced it with video from the Associated Press). The group attempted once again, having been detained yesterday, to […]

Marina Litvinenko Wins Suit Against British Government

February 18, 2014

Marina Litvinenko, the widow of former FSB spy-turned-MI6 spy Alexander Litvinenko, has won a court judgment overturning a decision by the British Home Office, which last year ruled that a public enquiry into the murder of her husband. The British government has serially repeated its reluctance to air the findings of its investigation into the […]

Russia Bans Adoptions From Countries Where Same-Sex Marriage is Legal

February 14, 2014

Citizens of the countries that permit same-sex marriages are no longer able to adopt orphans from Russia. A decree to that effect was signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The Russian government has changed the rules for the transfer of orphans for adoption, having introduced an additional ban on foreign adoptions by same-sex couples. The […]

Moscow’s School Shooting: Not Just a Repetition of Some Western Scenario

February 6, 2014

It turned out that in Russia everything is just like in the West, including shooting in schools. Yesterday an high school student came to school to settle a score with his geography teacher. According to experts, what happened is the result of escalation of everyday aggression against the background of social atomization of society. The […]

Teenage Girl Punished for Spreading ‘Gay Propaganda’ in Russia

February 3, 2014

The first case of charges being brought against a child for spreading gay propaganda among children has been registered in Russia. Her location, photo and name were not disclosed so as to protect the child. The ruling of the Juvenile Affairs Commission (KDN) in one of the small towns in the Bryansk oblast, from January […]

Trial for Bolotnaya Protesters Nearing Completion

“There is not one piece of evidence that confirms the guilt of the accused,” said Alexei Polikhovich’s lawyer, Alexei Miroshnichenko. “The whole trial is politically motivated.” His colleague Olga Grigorenko, also defending Alexei Polikhovich, elaborated on the property damages, totalling 28,228,000 rubles, which, according to the indictment, the defendants have to repay. Advocate Grigorenko said […]

Russian Prisoner of Conscience Platon Lebedev Released

January 24, 2014

Today or tomorrow, Platon Lebedev will be released [note – there are reports he was released Friday afternoon, after this article was published — Ed.]. It was decided by the Supreme Court as the result of hearings on the two “Yukos” cases. A month ago Platon Lebedev spoke about his upcoming release in an interview […]