Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev has said today
that he supports the death penalty for people who have committed
serious crimes, "I fear to bring down the anger of the
opponents of the death penalty on myself, but speaking as
an ordinary citizen, rather than a minister, I would see nothing
wrong [in the death penalty] for such kind of criminals".
It is no good when the high post prevents the expression
of civic feelings. After such a statement by Mr. Kolokoltsev,
he should have been immediately dismissed. Let him speak out
as a citizen not burdened with the weight of public duties.
In any case, the dismissal of Mr. Kolokoltsev would have been
an adequate measure for the authorities who believe that the
purpose of the government is installing of humanity.
Our ruling system suffers from a serious hereditary contempt
for human life. Here the concept of a "violent crime",
and any crime in general, is like rubber. And just like civil
activities in case of a police state are easily transferred
into crimes, this notion [of a violent crime] can be transferred
into a grave offense. For example, "foreign agents"
[which all the NGOs were pushed to turn into according the
new Russian law] may be considered traitors and liberal views
equated with an ideology targeted at destruction of the state.
And the punishment here will be execution.
The statement by Mr. Kolokoltsev probably will not result
in application of the death penalty in Russia. The sound of
his uncertain police bell has not yet turned into an alarm
bell of supreme reprisals. However, such a shameful statement
is typical of the atmosphere of power abuse which has developed
in Russia.
The sentences on the so-called "YUKOS case, the Pussy
Riot case, the demonstration of May 6 and repressive laws
demonstrate too well the direction of sliding of crooked and
deceitful Russian authorities.
Photograph: Ivan Shagin. On the governments tribune.
The air show in Tushino, 1936. A person in the photo was crossed
out by censors.
See also:
Stalinisation
of the Russian society targets "tightening of the screws".
Statement
by the YABLOKO party, February 6, 2013
Overcoming
Stalin's Legacy
Human
Rights
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