Swearing in public is illegal: Russian enviromentalist faces 3 years in Putin's prison camp

[uhnope]

Last edited Thu Feb 19, 2015, 07:43 PM - Edit history (2)

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/02/sochi-environmental-activist-vitishko-putin-prison

Visiting My Friend in Putin's Prison Camp

A quiet geologist tried to blow the whistle on Olympic pollution and corruption. One year later, he's still paying the price.

I've come to these cold mud flats 440 miles south of Moscow for the first interview Vitishko has given in the seven months since February 12, 2014, the day he was sent away in the midst of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

In the years leading up to the event, Vitishko had emerged as one of the competition's fiercest critics. Along with his little-known organization, the Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (EWNC), Vitishko protested the ecological destruction and crony Kremlin corruption that fed the $51 billion games, the most expensive in history. Now, a year after the closing ceremonies, his dire predictions of environmental havoc have come true—and Vitishko sits in prison. He has been described as the only prisoner of conscience associated with the Sochi Olympics.
...
Vitishko's tangled legal troubles began in 2011, when he led a 12-person protest opposing the fence surrounding Regional Governor Alexander Tkachev's summer home in the Black Sea National Forest. The fence, which still stands, entirely cuts off public access to the beach.
...
In June 2012, Vitishko and Gazaryan were sentenced to three years in prison on charges related to what is locally known as "the fence incident." But the court agreed to suspend the sentences, instead imposing a two-year probationary period. Gazarayan fled Russia later that year. In 2013, Vitishko was found to have broken the court's terms. His sentence was reinstated, but he remained free pending an appeal.

Vitishko was then arrested on a purportedly unrelated charge in early February 2014, just four days before the Games opened: Police said they'd received an anonymous tip that he'd been heard swearing in public. Vitishko was denied a request to phone his lawyer and jailed immediately for 15 days by a town judge who relied solely on the anonymous account. Court records show the source never turned up to testify; Vitishko's Sochi-based attorney, Alexander Popkov, says the no-show suggests there was no anonymous call to begin with. Nevertheless, Russian law allows judges to dole out so-called administrative sentences at their discretion, without the participation of defense lawyers or witnesses. "It's an excellent intimidation tactic," says Popkov.

The 15-day detention meant Vitishko would not be able to speak to the world's media as they descended on Sochi. It also guaranteed Vitishko would be stuck in jail for his February 12 appeal hearing. When the court date came, he was beamed in via a scratchy, barely audible video link. The judge deliberated for two minutes before issuing his ruling: The three-year prison camp sentence stood. A few days later, after a week of delays as venue after venue refused to host a launch event, EWNC finally managed to release Vitishko and Gazaryan's report.

Artem Alexeyev, a prominent Russian environmental and human rights lawyer who's not connected to the Vitishko case, says the sentence for graffiti "should have been a fine," according to Russian law and precedent. Being sent to prison camp for the offense, he says, was "positively beyond imagination."

Read more http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/02/sochi-environmental-activist-vitishko-putin-prison

[DJ13]

1. Thats fucking bullshit

[newthinking]

13. Yes indeed the title is bullshit. He was jailed for violating parole

I just checked the article and we have another propaganda/innacurate title by unhope.

[DeSwiss]

2. Which is worse?

A government who imprisons someone for cursing?

Or a government who imprisons someone for whistle-blowing about illegal government spying on its citizens, and the kidnapping, imprisonment and torturing of innocent human beings?

- Hmmm..... decisions, decisions..... I know!

[center][/center]

I'll take door #3 Monti: ''A government whose officials allow for the imprisonment of someone for smoking a fucking joint, and then throws them in a for-profit prison owned by a corporation that sells shares in the disproportionate imprisonment of black and brown men and women all cross America; and then turns around and receives ''campaign contributions'' from a PAC controlled by the owners of that same prison corporation.''


America, is a goddamned racket.

Pretty. Much. All. Of. It.

[center]

This Is How Private Prison Companies Make Millions Even When Crime Rates Fall

CCA Blocks Resolution Aimed at Lowering Cost of Phone Calls Between Inmates and Their Families

Private prison wants more money

FBI investigates Idaho prison run by private corporation

Arizona prison businesses are big political contributors

PLN sues CCA over public records access in Tennessee
[/center]

[uhnope]

3. Thanks for being honest about how you despise America.

Your words:

America, is a goddamned racket.

Pretty. Much. All. Of. It.

Wow.

[freshwest]

15. The MJ article is too disturbing to some, but it's just what progressives in the 70s fought against.

[newthinking]

17. I agree that Vitishko is a good guy. It is a shame that the title was propaganda.

Last edited Mon Feb 23, 2015, 04:59 PM - Edit history (1)

(Propaganda in that it was false, he did not go to jail for swearing but for breaking parole)

His initial sentence was harsh. But it is not like we don't have activists that get unjust treatment here. But it really is irritating to see the issues clouded by a falsified premise (that he was put to jail for 3 years for swearing... utter bullshit)

[uhnope]

19. Accuser others of proganda? Really? Calling "bullshit" despite a history of RT spamming?

LOL

[newthinking]

16. I am pretty sure DeSwiss lives in Europe.

[snappyturtle]

5. And let's not forget the loss of habeas corpus. Folks need to look at

the National Defense Authorization Act before condemning other countries.

The NDAA explained in simpleterms: http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/12/05/the-national-defense-authorization-act-is-the-greatest-threat-to-civil-liberties-americans-face/

[samsingh]

4. what if someone hears putin swear?

[newthinking]

12. You bought propaganda. He wasn't jailed for swearing, but for violating parole.

And if you do a search you will see that corraborated by his own friends.

(Shame on Motherjones, a normally good magazine, for propagating inaccurate and biased info in this case)

Granted the original sentence was harsh (defacing governors mansion property), but they gave him parole for it. I am not so sure it would be all that different if you did so here. And if you ever have parole in the US and deviate one iota good luck. The justice system here is extremely harsh about violating any conditions of parole.

[uhnope]

20. Bullshit. He violated parole by swearing, which is now illegal in Putin's fascist Russia.

Yes, the initial charge was something different--a ridiculous and fishy charge of "graffiti", LOL, and a sentence of several years for that. But when he was on probation, they came and arrested him for swearing, and so now he is in a prison camp. Swearing was the excuse to say he violated probation, and led to him being in the prison camp. You can't sugarcoat that, even if you try. Why someone would want to sugarcoat the fact that swearing is an excuse to put dissidents in prison camps in Putin's Russia, I don't know.

[newthinking]

21. No, if you search it the jail was for breaking parole curfew

Not much different than would happen here.

He was required to be home each evening.

Even in your own story they don't make that claim. It is your claim and it is incorrect.

Getting a little testy to be challenged when you report something that is not really true? Relax, if you post something like this you need to take the heat when you are proven wrong.

[uhnope]

22. yet more Bullshit. The word "curfew" does not appear in the article.

How much more plain can this be:

In June 2012, Vitishko and Gazaryan were sentenced to three years in prison on charges related to what is locally known as "the fence incident." But the court agreed to suspend the sentences, instead imposing a two-year probationary period. Gazarayan fled Russia later that year. In 2013, Vitishko was found to have broken the court's terms. His sentence was reinstated, but he remained free pending an appeal.

Vitishko was then arrested on a purportedly unrelated charge in early February 2014, just four days before the Games opened: Police said they'd received an anonymous tip that he'd been heard swearing in public. Vitishko was denied a request to phone his lawyer and jailed immediately for 15 days by a town judge who relied solely on the anonymous account. Court records show the source never turned up to testify; Vitishko's Sochi-based attorney, Alexander Popkov, says the no-show suggests there was no anonymous call to begin with. Nevertheless, Russian law allows judges to dole out so-called administrative sentences at their discretion, without the participation of defense lawyers or witnesses. "It's an excellent intimidation tactic," says Popkov.

The 15-day detention meant Vitishko would not be able to speak to the world's media as they descended on Sochi. It also guaranteed Vitishko would be stuck in jail for his February 12 appeal hearing. When the court date came, he was beamed in via a scratchy, barely audible video link. The judge deliberated for two minutes before issuing his ruling: The three-year prison camp sentence stood. A few days later, after a week of delays as venue after venue refused to host a launch event, EWNC finally managed to release Vitishko and Gazaryan's report.

Artem Alexeyev, a prominent Russian environmental and human rights lawyer who's not connected to the Vitishko case, says the sentence for graffiti "should have been a fine," according to Russian law and precedent. Being sent to prison camp for the offense, he says, was "positively beyond imagination."

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/02/sochi-environmental-activist-vitishko-putin-prison

[newthinking]

23. Can you respond without the potty mouth anger?

Probably not...

As with much of the tabloid media they leave out important details and you have to search to find out the truth. If you really want to find out do a search.

Your post says nothing about being jailed for cursing but you surely know that is not true.

[uhnope]

24. I guess, sir, that's your way of admitting you're wrong

pottymouth...you mean like this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=783190
LOL

[newthinking]

25. Of course you really have to search to find that

You lose your cool practically every post. There is no contest. Hell, it was pretty civil around here when you were locked from posting

[blkmusclmachine]

6. 50 shades of fascism.

[newthinking]

7. I love motherjones but they missed a key detail. Vitishko violated the terms of his parole.

always need to check the stories because our own biases affect our views (The account I read was from the other environmental activist he worked with that said that he was jailed for violating parole: He was supposed to be at home at 11:00 PM each evening). That was why the judgement was swift. Try doing that in the US and you will get the same if an officer catches you.

The original sentence was indeed stiff, he painted over a fence of the governor's mansion. But I can see the same kind of sentence here. It would be considered to be a security issue and if you did it at the white house good luck.

Not saying that is right (or our own draconian system). But the OP is trying to paint a black and white picture.

we have our own Jailed environmentalists and activists:

Tim DeChristopher is an American climate activist and co-founder of the environmental group Peaceful Uprising. In December 2008, he protested a Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease auction of 116 parcels of public land in Utah's redrock country by successfully bidding on 14 parcels of land (totaling 22,500 acres) for $1.8 million with no intent to pay for them.[2] DeChristopher was removed from the auction by federal agents and taken into custody, eventually serving 21 months in prison.[3] [4]

No parole for Tim though.

[uhnope]

8. LOLx1M. & how did he violate his parole? by swearing in public!!!!

How even a Putin explainer can try to defend this is so amazing. My god--and you think he painted that stupid fence too. You never cease to amaze

[newthinking]

9. No, his parole required him to be home at 11:00PM. Same thing would happen here

parole officers give no quarter here either. You break the terms there is no leniency.

Sorry if the truth is more "nuanced" than media outlets like to make things look.

Still was a severe sentance though. But we have our own overly severe system. You try to paint in black and white terms which is a way to stoke up bias so you need to get called when your report does not report accurately.

[Cha]

10. I'm sure the Putin apologists will explain this terrible travesty all away.. Putin is not

a homophobic hypocritical *******.. so quit linking articles that expose him otherwise.

I hope Yevgeniy Vitishko doesn't suffer too much in prison and is able to get out and continue his Environmental Activism.. it's out Planet, too.

thank you, uhnope

[newthinking]

11. The original sentence (defacing governor's mansion property) was harsh. But it would be here too

and don't even get people started talking about our own authoritarian approaches in this country.

Russia has it's own issues no doubt about it. But how about the way our police kill regular citizens in the street over misunderstanding or misdimeanors?

Human Rights throughout the world are a mess. But painting such a broad brush is not really an accurate approach.

[freshwest]

18. It's terrifying to see people run off their land, ecological damage and financial

corruption along with petty and brutal tyranny carried out. I know a number of Russians who have emigrated to the USA and they have less people than they should. There are people who are getting advantage and some who are not.

The ones I know are highly educated or skilled. They worked very hard to become American citizens and are attempting to get their families and money out of there. They are not rich, but hard working and no longer want to be there.

[freshwest]

14. I heard of a lot of bad things going on around the Olympics there.

Poor people driven out of housing, animals killed, pollution, etc. Giving this guy prison is way over the top and unnecessary. He is a brave man.

What the MJ article says is infuriating. It reads like something out of Sinclair Lewis. And then some.

People should take care of each other and the environment. Climate change is upon us and we can't afford this stuff.

[great white snark]

26. I read on the DU that we live in a police state so I'm sure the same happens here.

Russian citizens deserve better.

Thanks unhope, you do us all a service by exposing the apologists.