Crushing Political Dissent in Russia?
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Russia bashing in the West is longstanding, notably throughout Vladimir Putin’s tenure — especially since Trump triumphed over media darling Hillary, an election he was supposed to lose, not win.
False anti-Russia accusations include nonexistent US election meddling, nonexistent aggression against Ukraine or any other countries, no involvement in the US/UK-staged Skripal poisoning, no political imprisonments or assassinations, no other phony malign activities the state and Putin are falsely accused of.
All of the above and much more are US/NATO/Israeli specialties, especially their endless wars of aggression and related high crimes.
Russia’s way is polar opposite. Among major world powers, it’s the leading champion of peace and stability through resolving things diplomatically.
A Russiaphobic propaganda report by Perseus Strategies and Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center (MHRC) is titled “The Kremlin’s Political Prisoners: Advancing a Political Agenda By Crushing Dissent.” More on it below.
Perseus says its “mission is to help our clients achieve breakthrough results addressing their toughest challenges, (along with) hav(ing) a positive impact on the world.” Its report discussed blow shows otherwise.
The group provides “legal services,” is involved in “international human rights,” as well as “government affairs,” it says.
Its funding sources include the State Department’s undemocratic National Endowment for Democracy (NED) — mandated to undermine democracy wherever it exists, tolerating it nowhere.
Perseus’ clients include US-supported anti-Bolivarian hardliner Leopoldo Lopez, legitimately prosecuted by Venezuelan authorities for coup plotting, street violence, terrorism, vandalism, public intimidation, and other crimes.
The group also represented Zionist ideologue Elie Wiesel and pro-Western Aung San Suu Kyi, complicit in atrocities against Myanmar’s Rohingyas through silence and inaction, among other dubious clients.
The Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center is fiercely anti-Putin. Its funding sources include the pro-Western MacArthur Foundation.
The US is the world’s leading human rights abuser on a global scale, countless thousands of political prisoners languishing in its global gulag, information about it suppressed in the West.
Russia operates by a higher standard. Legitimate lawbreakers face imprisonment, not individuals for political reasons.
Not according to Perseus and MHRC, falsely claiming over 250 individuals are political prisoners in Russia despite no evidence suggesting it.
Their report lied, falsely claiming Russia under Putin “has engaged in a wide-ranging crackdown on civil society (sic), political opponents (sic), critical voices (sic), unpopular minorities (sic), and anyone else it views unfavorably or as a threat (sic),” adding:
“(A)n ever-increasing array of laws (are) specifically designed to criminalize acts of everyday life (sic) and, therefore, allow the authorities to arrest, detain, and imprison anyone they want (sic).”
“The Code of Administrative Offenses is also used to harass and punish NGOs and activists (sic)…Political opponents, civil society activists, and journalists are at particular risk (sic).”
All of the above are bald-faced Big Lies, how the US, NATO, Israel and their imperial partners operate, not Russia.
I’ve been interviewed often on Russia media, including Sputnik News, Channel One in Moscow, Russia 1, and NTV.
I participated in two Russian documentaries. Each time on air, I’m able to speak as freely as I independently write on major world issues — without criticism or censorship by media hosts.
With the exception of a Fox News Utah radio station, on a program polar opposite its television news, I’ve never been invited on US or other Western radio or television because of my truth-telling views, polar opposite the falsified official narrative.
The Perseus/MHRC report falsely accused Russia of “invad(ing)” and “occup(ying)” Crimea. It lied claiming Crimean Ukrainian activists and other citizens are “persecuted.”
It lied saying they’re falsely accused of “treason and espionage…to sow fear and discourage dissent.” It lied claiming Chechnyan gay and LGBT individuals face “arbitrary detention.”
It lied accusing Russia of violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the OSCE Charter of Paris, and the Russian Constitution — US/NATO/Israeli specialties, guilty of horrendous human rights abuses, notably high crimes of war, against humanity and genocide.
The report lied claiming Russia detains and prosecutes individuals “gathering in public, expressing themselves online, or associating with the ‘wrong’ organizations…violating their rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly” — more US/NATO/Israeli specialties, not what goes on in Russia.
Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange are Exhibit A — viciously targeted by the US and its co-conspirators for the “crime” of truth-telling.
The Perseus/MHRC report turned truth on its head, falsely claiming (nonexistent) “political prisoners are routinely denied basic due process rights (in Russia), including access to counsel, the presumption of innocence, the presumption of bail, and a fair trial,” adding:
“(W)idespread use of torture… coerc(ing) confessions (sic) violates both the right against self-incrimination and the right to freedom from torture.”
“(T)he Kremlin is violating the right to freedom of religion by imprisoning believers simply for exercising and practicing their faith (sic).”
The Perseus/MHRC report is a perversion of reality in Russia, descriptive of what goes on in the US, NATO, and Israeli gulags, as well as under their ruthlessly oppressive injustice systems, polar opposite how the Kremlin under Putin operates.
The shameful report is one of countless examples of politicized Russia bashing — for its sovereign independence, opposition to Washington’s imperial agenda, its aim for multi-world polarity, and status as the world’s dominant military power, its super-weapons exceeding the Pentagon’s best, developed at a small fraction of the cost.
Bashing Russia and other nations on the US target list for regime change is unrelenting.
Western media along with groups like Perseus and MHRC serve as imperial state agents, suppressing hard truths, proliferating bald-faced Big Lies.
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