Leader
of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin sharply criticized the
actions of the Nashi movement against journalist and human
rights activist Alexander Podrabinek.
“Mobbing of Alexander Podrabinek organized by the Nashi movement
and accompanied by bullying calls that he should leave Russia
is disgusting, and considering the present Russian situation
is even dangerous,” Sergei Mitrokhin told Interfax on Thursday.
According to Mitrokhin, “a broad-scale hatred campaign was
organised against a citizen of Russia.”
“This represents a real threat for the future of the country,
and this, rather than a situation around the shop-sign of
an already notorious cafe, is of importance (Ed/Interfax,
a cafe Anti-Soviet, journalist Alexander Podrabinek wrote
about in his article entitled “As an Anti-Soviet to an Anti-Soviet”
in connection with possible dismantling of the sign). However,
if there is a hotel called Soviet in Moscow, why there can’t
be a cafe called Anti-Soviet?” Mitrokhin said.
Last week it turned out that Alexander Podrabinek and his
family were threatened after publication of his article “As
an Anti-Soviet to an Anti-Soviet”.
The Nashi movement regarded the article as an insult to the
veterans of war stating that the movement was going to receive
public apology from Podrabinek. From September 29 about 30
activists of the Nashi movement have been conducing termless
picketing by Alexander Podrabinek’s house. In addition the
Nashi movement applied to court with a lawsuit demanding that
the journalist should apologise, as well as began collection
of signatures under an appeal to the Public Prosecutor for
filing a suit on a criminal offense against the journalist.
Reporters Without Borders, Russian human rights activists
and Vladimir Lukin, Ombudsman of the RF have already expressed
their concern about the developments around Alexander Podrabinek.
See also:
Putinjugend
on the March.
Alexei Melnikov’s blog at the Echo Moskvi web-site. September
30, 2009
Human
Rights
Freedom
of Speech and Media Law in Russia
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