Grigory Yavlinsky’s web-site, 15.03.2021

Photo: Participants of the Municipal Forum in a police van. Photo by Avtozak Live

Police detained over 170 municipal deputies in Moscow. This is how the authorities are fighting the pandemic and “undesirable organisations” [the Russian law “on undesirable organisations” gives prosecutors the power to extrajudicially declare foreign and international organisations “undesirable” in Russia and shut them down].

The State Duma is developing a bill on criminal punishment for false information about increases of prices. This is how the authorities are fighting inflation in the country.

Roskomnadzor [the Federal Supervision Agency for Information Technologies and Communications] began slowing down Twitter in Russia. This is how the authorities fight against protest moods in society.

Vladimir Putin signed a decree blocking “illegal” election campaigning on the Internet. This is how the authorities fight against political competition in elections.

The State Duma adopted a law restricting educational and informational activities. This is how the authorities introduce ideological censorship in education.

This is not an annual survey of government repression at all, and not even monthly monitoring. These are reports from the past three or four days! The state mechanism for introducing comprehensive restrictions is gaining momentum literally, before our eyes. Soon, the threat of blocking popular social networks, and possibly even disconnecting Russia from the worldwide network, may seem like a mere trifle against the background of real imprisonment sentences for dissent.

You reposted a discussion on the illegality of the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation – then face an imprisonment term for calling for a violation of the territorial integrity of Russia.

You expressed your indignation with the school history curriculum in the parents chat – then get criminal liability for distorting historical facts.

You retweeted a friend’s post about participation in a street protest – and here goes criminal liability for the organisation of unauthorised actions.

You decided to speculate publicly about the falsified cases brought against “extremists” who call for a change of government – this falls under an article on justifying extremism and terrorism.

You questioned the reliability of official data on the living standards or official coronavirus statistics – here come accusations of insulting the authorities and disseminating fake news.

Those who believe that it is possible to sit it out, that the main thing is not to stick out, are very much mistaken. This is not an outbreak of aggression on the part of the authorities, but the essence of a new era, the essence of the regime enshrined in the plebiscite on 1 July, 2020 [when the Russian Constitution was changed]. The authorities treat in such a way not only to their political opponents, but also the absolute majority of Russia’s citizens. Since concern for the welfare of the population is not a priority for the regime, an increase in discontent is inevitable. The cynical government understands this well, therefore it signals that any manifestation of not even a protest, but discontent will be suppressed.

As the Stalin’s Public Prosecutor Andrei Vyshinsky said, “find me the man, and I’ll find you the crime”.  The machine of repression is being built not only for political and public leaders and activists. Putin’s system has been muzzling dissent for a long time, a clear confirmation of this are the murders of Yury Shchekochikhin, Anna Politkovskaya, Boris Nemtsov, Timur Kuashev, and Farid Babayev, the attempts on the life of Vladimir Kara-Murza, Alexei Navalny and many others. As it turns out (https://theins.ru/politika/239317 ), special technologies and techniques have been developed for these purposes, possibly, there are “death squads” as well. However, now the repressive mechanism is being constructed for all Russian citizens. Its main purpose is to sow fear in society. Today, Putin’s power runs the country with the help of fear; this system has no other levers. There is no interaction between the authorities and society through such institutions as elections, protection of human rights, and justice, primarily because these institutions have been destroyed in Russia. Only fear remains. Fear pervades everything. Fear must grip every citizen of the country. This is the goal of Putin’s entire policy today.

And this is important to remember. Just as it is important to remember the main threats to our country (read What Threatens Putin and What Threatens Russia, February 2021 https://eng.yabloko.ru/grigory-yavlinsky-what-threatens-putin-and-what-threatens-russia/ ), not to be led by propaganda from anyone’s side, and not to be disoriented by imaginary threats. Because the main threat to Russia is the irreplaceable and unlimited power aimed at depriving people of freedom and total subordination of their lives.

Source

Grigory Yavlinsky

is Chairman of the Federal Political Committee of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO, Vice President of Liberal International, PhD in Economics, Professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics.