Ukraine slides into full-blown dictatorship with brutal new law (big image)

[n2doc]

by Cory Doctorow

Despite the valiant efforts of the motley opposition in Ukraine, the tame Ukrainian Parliament has passed a brutal law that slides the country into full-on dictatorship. Forbidden under the new law on penalty of high fines and imprisonment: driving cars in columns that are more than five vehicles long; setting up an unauthorized sound system; distribution of "extremist opinion"; "mass disruptions" (10-15 years imprisonment!); collecting information on police or judges; and more.

The new law also demolishes the trappings of democracy: you can be convicted in absentia based on unsubstantiated hearsay; MPs can be arrested during plenary sessions; the state can order arbitrary Internet censorship; and legal service of documents now consists of signatures or "any other data."



http://boingboing.net/2014/01/22/ukraine-slides-into-full-blown.html#more-282005

[joshcryer]

1. "Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance."

Maybe the Most Orwellian Text Message a Government's Ever Sent
“Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance.”

That's a text message that thousands of Ukrainian protesters spontaneously received on their cell phones today, as a new law prohibiting public demonstrations went into effect. It was the regime's police force, sending protesters the perfectly dystopian text message to accompany the newly minted, perfectly dystopian legislation. In fact, it's downright Orwellian (and I hate that adjective, and only use it when absolutely necessary, I swear).

But that's what this is: it's technology employed to detect noncompliance, to hone in on dissent. The NY Times reports that the "Ukrainian government used telephone technology to pinpoint the locations of cell phones in use near clashes between riot police officers and protesters early on Tuesday." Near. Using a cell phone near a clash lands you on the regime's hit list.

See, Kiev is tearing itself to shreds right now, but since we're kind of burned out on protests, riots, and revolutions at the moment, it's being treated below-the-fold news. Somehow, the fact that over a million people are marching, camping out, and battling with Ukraine's increasingly authoritarian government is barely making a ripple behind such blockbuster news bits as bridge closures and polar vortexes. Yes, even though protesters are literally building catapaults and wearing medieval armor and manning flaming dump trucks.

[n2doc]

3. yep

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024370678

[Nuclear Unicorn]

7. Defenders of the NSA cannot tell us this will never happen here. n/t

[joshcryer]

9. Nope.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4370524

[yurbud]

11. it's probably a pilot program, and our politicians are furiously taking notes and kicking themselves

for not thinking of it first.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

13. Or

we made a little money on the side licensing the application to the Ukrainians.

[yurbud]

20. ha!

[yurbud]

21. iOppress

[godevil10]

15. One thing to consider is that

our populace is armed. Don't know about the Ukraine

[Nuclear Unicorn]

16. That would be the worst day ever.

[godevil10]

17. Yes agreed. But, to me it would depend on just how repressive it became.

[RC]

2. Why do I have the feeling they are only a few years ahead of us, US?

[Adrahil]

4. Our Kremlin defenders will be along any minute now.... Nt

[DetlefK]

5. Wasn't Putin a republican hero 1 month ago for his anti-gay-laws?

[Adrahil]

8. I know a couple of Repugs who still love him....

... Because he's a REAL man.... No homo.

I just roll my eyes and move on.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. Yanokovich's desire to be a Little Putin and turn Ukraine into Little Russia is quite scary.

Sadly, even with independence, Ukrainians have struggled for centuries to get out from under the heavy fist of Russia. Yanokovich seems more than willing to expedite the Russification process.

[Gemini Cat]

10. Incredible.

Scary stuff. K and R.

[yurbud]

12. "REQUEST to limit internet access"? how quaint. Our gov't will just block individuals content

from others if they find that person dangerous--and that person might not even know that others aren't getting their emails or seeing their blog posts.

http://rt.com/usa/facebook-police-social-lipp-743/

[WillyT]

14. K & R !!!

[kelliekat44]

18. But. but , they are capitalists...aren't they? nt

[Rex]

19. Ruh roh...that cannot be good for Pootie Poot, now he has competition.

Which might not be good for the rest of the globe either. TWO dictatorships in charge of thousands of nukes should make one a little nervous.


THAT list almost smells like it was written by Karl Rove!