The Ministry of Justice upends common sense
Maxim Kruglov’s Telegram blog post, 1.12.2023
Vladimir Kara-Murza had a trial today: the Ministry of Justice believes that he, Vladimir Kara-Murza, should provide them with a special report on his activities as a “foreign agent” once a quarter.
Straight from the punitive isolation ward: [he must] download a special form from the website, fill it out on the computer and send it to them via the Internet [all this from the punitive isolation ward which deprives prisoners even of personal belongings, to say nothing of Internet or computers]. If not, then it turns into an administrative case. Further three such administrative cases turn into a criminal case.
A representative of the Ministry of Justice who came to the meeting literally said the following: We were not aware that citizen Kara-Murza was in isolation. We don’t watch TV, we don’t read the Internet. We sent all notifications to him at his place of residence, in Zamoskvorechye district, Moscow.
Vladimir spoke at the trial from the Omsk penal colony [via video conference]. He said that he had been given a soap, a robe, a towel and two books. What forms from the Ministry of Justice website could he fill in and on what computer? (Certainly, Vladimir said that he did not recognise this discriminatory law [“on foreign agents”] and would not comply with its absurd norms in any case). However, the ridiculous protocol of the Ministry of Justice is striking.
Life is ahead of Franz Kafka’s dystopias, and the Judge found Vladimir guilty: there was a fine of 50,000 roubles and the prospects of a new criminal case.
This time they gave those who gathered for the trial the opportunity to talk a little with Vladimir. He did not lose heart, he was cheerful and strong in spirit. In a bright red prison uniform flashing on the monitor, he maintained his presence of mind and was very happy to see everyone.
Yabloko regularly hosts events of writing letters to political prisoners. Please, do come!
MAXIM KRUGLOV
is a member of the Federal Bureau of the Yabloko Party,
Deputy Chairman of the Moscow branch of Yabloko.
Head of the Yabloko faction in the Moscow City Duma. Candidate of Political Sciences.
Posted: December 4th, 2023 under Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Speech, Governance, Human Rights, Judiciary, The Yabloko faction in the Moscow City Duma.