My last post was titled Russia: free and safe? Well, we have a definitive answer today after a weekend of violent state repression of peaceful protests in Russia's two major cities. Russian riot police and soldiers beat and detained hundreds of anti-Kremlin protesters, who staged modest demonstrations against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday and in St. Petersburg on Sunday.
Thousands of people gathered in Moscow and St. Petersburg for peaceful protest marches meant to express opposition to Putin and his cronies. Unfortunately, Putin struck back in a big way. Fewer than 2,000 protesters in Moscow were met by 9,000 soldiers and police, who prevented the demonstrators from marching to a central square. For 2,000 protesters in St. Petersburg, Putin called on a mere 1,500 police to stop them.
France24 reported that Russian police beat a man who lay motionless on the ground and bloodied the nose of a middle-aged woman.
If this weekend's actions on the part of the Russian authorities do not prove Putin is a tyrannical and anti-democratic, it is hard to imagine what will. I hope democratic nations the world over raise hell diplomatically over the Kremlin's shameless repression of peaceful opposition protesters.
Opposition in Russia is clearly not tolerated. Public criticism of Putin is almost never heard, and the state controls all the TV channels and most of the radio stations. In March 2008 there will be a national election to replace Putin, who is constitutionally term-limited. Despite Putin's brutality and dictatorial qualities, the Russian president remains popular, and whoever Putin endorses as his successor is practically a shoe-in.
Now I wonder what those CWA panelists think of the weekend's events. They were so damn chipper about how free and lovely Russia is; I'm curious if this will change their tune.
