ПЦ «Мемориал» незаконно ликвидирован. Сайт прекратил обновляться 5 апреля 2022 года
Сторонники ПЦ создали новую организацию — Центр защиты прав человека «Мемориал». Перейти на сайт.

Alexei Nekrasov

ALEXEI NEKRASOV: I heard that in the room there’s no one who agrees with [Vladimir] Putin’s view that there are no political prisoners here. In fact I will be that very person who agrees with Putin that there are no political prisoners in the country. I’ll explain now why I feel as such. If we

ALEXEI NEKRASOV: I heard that in the room there’s no one who agrees with [Vladimir] Putin’s view that there are no political prisoners here. In fact I will be that very person who agrees with Putin that there are no political prisoners in the country. I’ll explain now why I feel as such.

If we are to proceed from Sergey Davidis’ premise that any case where there is political interest or a motive on the authorities’ part is necessarily a political one, while the person convicted for this case is seen as a political prisoner, we will then have to recognise as such all, I repeat, ALL convicted and those under investigation in our country. Regardless of what they are convicted for, whether it is, let’s assume, a real crime or not.

Just about in all cases, especially criminal ones, there is fraud, misconduct and certain fabrications. They are committed by judges, prosecutors, just anyone. This in itself is a political motive on the authorities’ part. Because the government must prove to people its efficiency, that it holds a right to power. Politics is one group of people’s aspiration to power, but once in power they must show their efficiency. When there is a person who must be jailed for whatever reason, that it how they, at least from their point of view, demonstrate their efficiency.

Now about “prisoners of conscience.” In my understanding we do have prisoners of conscience. They are people whose actions, together with their civic and political activities, are carried out in accordance with the law, but serve as a motive or justification for the state’s persecution of them. That is to say a person engaged in any political or civic activities, who at some point may become the subject of a criminal case. Criminal charges may be related to anything. In my opinion, this person is a prisoner of conscience.

If criminal charges were brought against Zhenya Chirikova tomorrow, stating that she stole two wagon loads of pipes for heating her camp in the Khimki forest during the winter, the aim would be to stop her activities in defence of the forest, which unfortunately has already been cut down. Evgeni’ya Chirikova would accordingly become a political prisoner. If at some point Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev were to openly support those political forces which threaten Putin and his inner circle’s remaining in power, and afterwards Mr. Khodorkovsky and Mr. Lebedev are in jail, they would subsequently be prisoners of conscience as there are concrete reasons, consequences and motives. It is all very simple as I see it.

As for the “anti-extremist” legislation and notorious Article 282, it is an indispensable legal attribute of any developed state. Such articles are required in any country. I warmly greeted the adoption of a criminal law in France for denying the Armenian Genocide. Any denial of the Armenian Genocide is now punishable as a criminal offence in France, ranging from a fine to a prison sentence. And this is normal, because in society there are some things which must be stopped and punished. Public calls for the destruction of people of other nationalities; what is this if it is not extremism, how can you not punish it! I would find it uncomfortable to live in a country where people walk its streets and call to “F*** the Caucasus” and other such things. That is why I feel the people who were convicted for their views and very presence on Manezhnaya square are not political prisoners.

VALENTIN GEFTER: What if Chirikova were to speak out against the Armenian Genocide?.

ALEXEI NEKRASOV: If Chirikova were to speak out against the Armenian Genocide in France she would be a criminal, but not in Moscow, but I would be happy if Moscow were to adopt such a law.

Next

Back to Overview of Part II

Поделиться: