Stanislaw Markelow shot - Russia where are you heading?

[R.F.]

Let's say no. In fact I just don't understand why are you blaming "freedom" itself. I would find thousands of other reasons to blame...

Not freedom itself but freedom for Russian people. You read my posts not very attentively. I explaned my point of view and have nothing to say anymore.

No, you're wrong, I have read your posts carefully and for some reason I expected either no answer or exactly such an elusive answer . That's really sad to see that somebody doesn't want freedom/right (to which he/she is entitled to not only because I am saying it or human right activists and a lot of other people are saying this, but also because his/her own state secures it in its legal system) and does NOT know why. Really sad.

I suppose Morgana is not telling what she really thinks, it is just a patriotic offence. Understandable.
But I want to repeat - remember Japan. Do you know what the level of, for example, press freedom is there? Have you ever heard that journalists there are not allowed to make even written notes on press-conferences? Leave alone the fact that many of those conferences are completely off limits for foreign journalists. And this is the second economy and one of the biggest democracies in the world. They have a great structure of traditions that everyone in the world respects. And I do not know why Western civilization cannot bear non-European Russia who also has it`s twisting, but anyway own way. Since Peter the Great we know that pro-Western style of ruling makes our country only more authoritarian. Or, as a variant, weaker - Yeltsin`s times is the fine example. I think that in the multipolar world we should take each other as we are and have an equal dialogue.
And by the way, speaking of human rights - it is not like we use them every day. So, we simply cannot have them abused on regular basis =) Well, no one here is killed on some Putin`s wish or deprived the right of education. Everyone can work as where he wants. Now there is a big company of so called "mother capital" - everyone family where the second child is born recieves a really huge sum of money from the state. And also recently they started more intensively pursue illegal abuses on small business.
Well, the one left is the freedom of media. But where in this world a journalist can be completely free? If anywhere there is such a country, it is obviously not a very good place) Because journalist is mainly to be responsible. And do not forget that even in market society he has to act as the editorial policy instructs. An editor may come to censorship accroding top various reasons - ethical, political, economical. And it doesn`t matter where I work - The New York Times or our Novaya Gazeta - I am not allowed to offend in my stories for example my paper`s main advertiser. Even if I really want to =) So you see that rights have reasonable limitations, leave alone that not very much people have to face those limitations on their own. Cases of abuse of course do occur and the power of state is really strong, it is a problem. But it is not a reason for making up a policy against a country. Well, if you believe me I may tell - I am completely free here. And I do not need such specific rights like coming to the Red Square and sreaming "The President Medvedev is a motherfucker!". It better to think for example about the fate of Australian writer Harris Nikolaidis who was yesterday sentenced to 3 years in Thai jail for... offending the king of Thailand in some of his books. This is abuse, don`t you think?
Concearning press, I believe sometime media in Russia will be self-regulated as in Scandinavian countries. It is the best system in the whole world, I suppose. But it has to be worked out carefully.

[stratohawk]

Another human rights activist killed. Natalja Estemirowa, first kidnapped and lateron shot nearby Grozny, was for a long time criticizing and doing reserch in terms of disappeared civilians in Chechnya. For this work she was threatened heavily by the pro-Kreml-president of Chechnya and his legislation, Ramsan Kadyrow, who now disclaims the responsibility of her death.

These news appeared in our media while our chancellor Merkel is having a meeting with the Russian President in Munich and carrying on economical negotiations with President Medwedjew. It lead to the very common and empty reactions: EU and other countries condemn this "coward deed" and claim "fast enlightment", which is of course guaranteed by Medwedjew. And no one really cares...