The Same Day Russia Sentences Pussy Riot, It Condemns The UK Over Julian Assange
from the there-is-no-consistency-in-national-politics dept
Someone suggested to me recently that Pussy Riot is to Russia what Julian Assange is to the US. The parallels are not exact -- especially given the accusations that were leveled in Sweden against Assange are not, on their face, political (and those who insist they know what happened between Assange and the two accusers should admit they have no idea what really happened, because only those three individuals truly do). That said, it does seem clear that there is a separate factor at work in the Assange mess, and it involves significant political pressure from the US, who it has been claimed have a sealed indictment ready for Assange, who for a variety of reasons they feel will be easier to get from the Swedes than the Brits.So it seems positively bizarre that on the very same day that Pussy Riot was sentenced to jail, Russia warned the UK against "violating fundamental diplomatic principles" in its pursuit of Assange to ship him off to Sweden. Honestly, if you had to pick one of those two cases to be sympathetic to, it seems that the Pussy Riot case is a much more clear-cut one of absolutely egregious behavior on the part of a prosecution. For Russia to complain about the treatment of Assange -- on the very day that Pussy Riot was found guilty and sentenced -- seems especially rich.
Both cases may involve significant levels of political tinkering against those who have embarrassed certain governments, but it's also pretty clearly taken away any moral high ground for the countries involved in speaking out against one another.
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Filed Under: diplomacy, extradition, free speech, julian assange, pussy riot, russia, uk, us
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For Russia to complain about the treatment of Assange -- on the very day that Pussy Riot was found guilty and sentenced -- seems especially rich.
It's not rich, it's both a bitter irony and a sad case of hypocrisy.
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Wow, you cite Julian Assange's website Wikileaks as the authoritative source for there being "secret" indictment against........ Assange. That's a new low for your already low standards of objectivity and bias.
So at least we agree on the goofy Russian reaction to Assange while they're packing away the Pussy Riot girls for two years. Why don't you call your friend Alyona at Russia Today and discuss the matter? Is it because you only appear on Russian television when you have the opportunity to criticize your own government?
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Flash news: Wikileaks is specialized in leaking documents. And the document is supposedly sealed. So... Your point?
And it's quite good Mike criticizes his own country. It's by far much more honest and fair since he is inside his country and thus has more tools and knowledge to criticize it. If you had gotten angry over him criticizing other countries you'd sound less of a troll.
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Flash news: Wikileaks is specialized in leaking documents. And the document is supposedly sealed. So... Your point?
My point is that it is probably totally made up by Assange to cite as a reason for Ecuadorian asylum.
Anytime the primary beneficiary of "inside" information is also the sole source of that information, it is suspect beyond belief.
And it's quite good Mike criticizes his own country. It's by far much more honest and fair since he is inside his country and thus has more tools and knowledge to criticize it. If you had gotten angry over him criticizing other countries you'd sound less of a troll.
Your man crush is showing.
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Hmm, who to believe...
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That statement is bullshit on its face. No complete analysis has been done. You've been outted Sir Lie-a-lot
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Really, so you have reliable sources that confirm the documents are made up. And we should also believe that the pressure the US is putting on the UK is just because Assange has a weird haircut. Amirite mr Troll?
Your man crush is showing.
Mine? Or yours? ;)
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There, that seems to meet the requisite standard of evidence for Techdirtbag Nation.
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No, a link to falsifiable proof would be the minimum standard, or at least a report from a reliable source who doesn't post bullshit anonymously. You people never supply anything of the sort though, just uncited opinion masquerading as "truth".
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Hypocrisy and politics are not separably.
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Let us see how things progress.
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They're more worried about their own embassy
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Re: They're more worried about their own embassy
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Re: Re: They're more worried about their own embassy
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Re: Re: They're more worried about their own embassy
did you forget ?
SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/18/world/europe/russian-police-chase-pussy-riot-protester-into-turki sh-space.html
The Moscow courthouse where the three women were convicted and sentenced to two years in a penal colony is just down the street from the Turkish Embassy. As protesters seethed outside the courthouse, Tatyana Romanova, a self-professed civil activist wearing a pink balaclava, scaled a lamppost used to mount security cameras and began waving a poster and calling for the release of the band members.
Riot police officers began to shinny up the pole after her, but to the crowd’s delight — and cheers — Ms. Romanova leapt away, grabbing a chain-link fence and climbing, almost like Spider-Man, several feet into what might best be described as Turkish airspace.
Undeterred, the police officers clambered after her and forced her down. But when everyone’s feet were back on the ground, Ms. Romanova and the Russian officers were on the embassy’s property — Turkish territory. Embassy officials told the police officers that they had crossed out of their jurisdiction, and the officers were promptly asked to leave.
In a telephone interview, Ms. Romanova said that a woman identifying herself as an embassy official told the police to go, then took her inside, gave her a glass of water, and told her that she supported the protesters.
The Turkish Embassy could not be reached for comment on Friday evening.
After about 10 minutes, Ms. Romanova said, the official instructed her to leave the embassy quietly and “blend in the with the crowd.” But upon exiting the building she was immediately apprehended and bundled into a police van.
Dozens of supporters awaited Ms. Romanova’s release from a central Moscow jail late Friday night. She was charged with resisting arrest and faces up to 15 days in prison.
Think you may have heard a twisted story about it.
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Re: Re: Re: They're more worried about their own embassy
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Re: Re: Re: Re: They're more worried about their own embassy
The police in the Russia/Turkish situation unknowingly entered the restricted zone and were subsequently told to leave which they did.
The UK on the other hand has stated that they can with intent and foreknowledge enter ANY consular/embassy grounds whether the sovereign state approves it or not.
Interestingly as a side note as soon as the UK enact this egregiously undiplomatic law the consul/embassy is declared void and all diplomats housed within are declared persona non gratis which means they have to leave the country post haste, though they can NOT be interfered with whilst leaving the country.
It will make me laugh if Assange is actually declared a Diplomat since then they would have to allow him to leave too. Oh and some wags have stated that only the UK can declare him to be an approved diplomat, this is true except. If another country approves him for diplomatic status (ie: Brazil, Argentina -just to piss the British govt off) then he is classified under diplomatic treaties to be inviolate as well and can and must freely between both countries (ie: Ecuador.. which is the Consular in Britian and say Argentina). Convoluted? yes... ethical? maybe.. the stuff of spy novels and thrillers yet to be. absolutely ;)
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This is true. Damn church leaders should just shut up and let every group with a gripe use their facilities to bitch and moan, disrupting their services, because, well, it's somehow good.
Now I understand why you seem to like piracy, because you even get the simple stories back-assward.
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Of course, if you are simply trolling for comments, you should ignore all of the above and just keep trolling :)
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Pussy Riot made a political statement against Putin.
Fuck all to do with the cult really.
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They doubled down by using that horrid act to razz Putin. That may be popular with some, but it's a sure way to get yourself some truly unwanted attention. Combine an illegal act with this sort of snub, and well, 2 years in jail seems short.
They made some classical errors.
Is the Russian court system to blame? Probably in part. But they needed a bad act to work from, and the band seems proud to have given it to them.
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Corporatarialism
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No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
ANY negative publicity on the ruling oligarchy will be destroyed via defamation.
Anyone speaking a truth, that the ruling class don't want to be spoken, will be jailed.
Has anyone seen the ""news"" coverage of Assange's press conference ?
What a shambles of, defamation of character and lies... unbelievable, anything but news.
▣ They don't mention that Assange said he WOULD GO to Sweden IF they told him he would not be extradited to the U.S.A.
▣ Nothing said about the fact that the U.K or Sweden would NOT assure that Assange will not be extradited to the U.S.A.
▣ Skim over and use misleading language to hide the fact that the Swedish authorities ONLY want to question Assange about allegations.
▣ Not a whisper about why the Swedish prosecutor/judge won't question Assange in the U.K.
What they talk about is... irrelevant shit that no one cares about.
omfg... they were criticizing his hair cut.
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Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
There's a European arrest warrant out on him for rape and other crimes. Sweden is the ones who sought it.
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Re: Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
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Re: Re: Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
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No Assange fan BUT.......
European arrest warrant. ( for questioning about allegations ) same controversial warrant that MP's want abolished.
Fair enough...(under law) If there is proof he is guilty, lock him up.
Assure him that he will not be extradited to USA from Sweden.
Simple really. (hasn't happened, won't happen, cant happen)
also.....
Like the alleged sexual offenses are not suspiciously timed or anything.
a case that had been dropped due to lack of evidence before being re-opened by the Swedish Director of Prosecution.
Or that the US don't want him and have never used sexual smears in the past.
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Re: Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
You had best read up to get your facts straight...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assange_v_Swedish_Prosecution_Authority
"On 18 November 2010, prosecutor Marianne Ny asked the local district court for a warrant for the arrest of Assange in order for him to be interviewed by the prosecutor"
"Assange has not yet been formally charged with any offence; the prosecutor said that, in accordance with the Swedish legal system, formal charges will be laid only after extradition and a second round of questioning."
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Re: Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
Secondly, the EAW is solely for the sex crimes.
Thirdly, I'm certain that Assange should be jailed for contempt of court (for breaching bail conditions).
Fourthly, it is as this point that the pre-prosecution interview can easily be conducted via video-conference and recorded as evidence for both sides.
Finally, hypocrisy isn't just the sole province of governments. I'm fairly sure that Assange is a hypocrite in the area of free information.
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Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
Assange was willing to go only if they would suspend a fair bit of Swedish law, and all the treaties, agreements, and such they have signed since being a nation.
He would return only if they would basically agree to ignore what they have signed up to accept.
Further, it's a bit of a misdirection here. The US could easily indict and extradite him from the UK. The "going to Sweden puts him at risk" argument is weak. He is at risk in any country with an extradition treaty with the US.
Assange is playing a bit of the boogieman card here. He's acting like he is worried about something that hasn't yet happened, and could happen almost anywhere, and using that as an excuse for possibly being a sexual delinquent.
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Re: Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
Ah yes, sex without a condom makes one a sexual delinquent.
Show of hands for anyone here who has ever had sexual relations without proper use of a condom?
[raises hand] Oh snap, I'm a sexual delinquent.
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Re: Re: Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
The reason for the aforementioned pre-prosecution interview is to ascertain what actually went on. It's actually a really interesting case, revolving around the use of a condom - e.g. if both consented, provided a condom was used, and Assange then took the condom off and penetrated the alleger, then that's sexual assault in Swedish terms.
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Assange should be jailed for his crimes...where they were commited. As of the present time, that's contempt of court in the UK alone.
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Look again. It is two counts of sexual assault, one of coercion and one of rape.
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Re: Re: No wonder Old Media is dying -- lol -- will piss on their grave
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Honestly, even if there is zero truth to the US wanting to get Assange, this entire situation has done more to set back human rights than anything else I can think of. The US and UK are pretty big on enforcing human rights, or at least claim to be, but have both lost all credibility.
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As for "" having the moral highground over anything less than genocide. ""
That's gone too.
100,000+ dead innocent PEOPLE, from one country alone, in the last 10 years, killed by American politicians actions.
The U.S government lost credibility by their OWN ACTIONS.
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THEN he managed to take an overdose of various pills AFTER he was dead (second autopsy shows the pills were taken post-mortem)
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ps: I am talking about the governments.
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Political corruption
1. When have we EVER heard extradition being used for simple questioning? Clearly extradition should only be used for serious crimes when look at the huge resources wasted here just to ask him some bloody questions.
2. For this reason EU law allows people the option to be remotely questioned. So then why is it that the Swedish authority has constantly denied remote questioning and even refuse to offer an explanation why?
3. If the Swedish authority is wanting answers to questions, the very nature of the arrest warrant, then why do they constantly refuse to ask Mr Assange these questions? It would be logical from the answers given if there is a case for him to answer to or if it should be dropped. Then at least they could issue an arrest warrant for an actual crime.
4. Due to valid concerns about Julian's extradition to the United States for this journalist and publisher to be falsely charged under Espionage Law (and like Bradley Manning to be kept in isolation 23 hours a day for over a year and stripped naked in front of others) then why does the Swedish Authority constantly refuse to offer any reassurance that Julian Assange would not be subject to secondary extradition? One promise and Ecuador would allow his extradition.
5. Why does the United States have an indictment already prepared to change Julian and why does the FBI keep a 42,135 page file on him? These are known and provable facts.
These seems only one answer here. The only missing piece is that in the UK Julian cannot be extradited to the USA for Wikileaks releasing the US Diplomatic cables but in Sweden they can.
Then we need to ask what is the role of the two women involved in this?
Well thanks to Wikileaks we now know about the secret War the US was having, how there was state sponsored human rights abuses in Iraq and Afghanistan, and how Obama has directly blocked the former Bush administration being investigated and charged with War Crimes.
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Re: Political corruption
Because of... vio.....
Australia is part of the Commonwealth.
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Re: Political corruption
I have no idea how you arrived at that conclusion. Would you care to elaborate?
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Financing the radation poisoning of people in the UK
Murder of journalists such as Anna Politkovskaya
Assassination of Olaf Palme (Swedish Prime Minister)
Assasination of President of Chechnya Akhmad Kadyrov
As well as continuing information that 'Putin's Palace' has been used to hold Putin's enemies for torture and 'disposal'
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Pussy Riot is a symbol of public rage towards Putin.
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1) Being the Doctor from Doctor Who; and
2) Being next in line for the British throne.
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It is a Civil Rights issue.
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Big Surprise /s
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@ AdamBv1
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@ AdamBv1
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