Unreported: Russia pogrom on human rights at home post-Sochi
As predicted, Putin's amnesty for Pussy Riot before the Sochi Olympics, or the Dictatorship Olympics as I call it, was windowdressing for the crackdown on freedom that came after. It's not getting any attention because the world is preoccupied by Russia's invasion of the Crimea now.
It's time for the world to work together on some hard core sanctions, blockading and no-fly zones before Russia starts invading the "Russian" parts of Estonia and Moldova.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/03/18/russia-government-tightens-screws-after-sochi
(Moscow) – Russian authorities have detained hundreds of peaceful protesters in recent weeks, in most cases arbitrarily and in some cases with unnecessary force. The detentions are part of a new crackdown on free expressionand assembly as the crisis unfolds in neighboring Ukraine.
The detentions took place during protests against Russia’s approval of military intervention in Ukraine and during small demonstrations and other gatherings to support eight people sentenced to long prison terms for a protest in May 2012, on the eve of President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration.
“Many wondered what a post-Sochi crackdown might look like,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “These detentions, the crackdown under way on the media, and violent attacks against dissenters by unidentified assailants paint a stark picture of what is going on in Russiaright now.”
Between February 21 and March 4, police detained at least 1,264 peaceful protesters in Moscow alone. Courts ordered at least 15 of them to serve 10 days of administrative detention for alleged failure to obey police orders, and fined dozens of others for participating in unauthorized public gatherings. The majority are still awaiting administrative court hearings. Police have also detained dozens of peaceful protesters in other Russian cities.
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