Cult cartoon character Mr Freeman is part of a digital onslaught on the political establishment
Alexandria, VA - November 1, 2011 - On 6 October 2011, the Russian Ministry of Justice published a draft of amendments to the 1997 Federal Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations” (“Religion Law).
One of Belarus’ most prominent human rights activists has gone on trial in Minsk.
Ales Belyatski runs an organisation called Vyasna (Spring) which monitors the government’s activities against opposition figures.
He was arrested in August and charged with tax evasion after the authorities discovered that he held bank accounts in Poland and Lithuania.
Human rights groups say the trial is an attempt to silence him.
Mr Belyatski maintains that the accounts were necessary to fund Vyasna’s work as the Belarus government prevented him from holding money inside the country.
Vyasna has closely tracked Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s ongoing clampdown against the country’s opposition.
Mr Belyatski’s arrest caused controversy when it was discovered that Poland and Lithuania had supplied Belarusian officials with his bank details.
Polish officials later apologised for aiding Mr Lukashenko in his campaign against the Belarusian opposition.
U.S. assistant secretary of state for the bureau of democracy, human rights and labor in the Moscow region said the United States needs to “redouble” its efforts to press Russia on protecting human rights.
Full article: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/why-some-russians-need-the-wests-help/445999.html
Kiev, Ukraine.
Time-lapse video of Minsk, Belarus.
Doesn’t look like things are going to be getting much better at football games. The Moscow Times reports that 3 Uzbeks have been taken into custody for beating an ethnic Russia to death. Unfortunately,
“The Investigative Committee and the city government have denied that the flight resulted from ethnic tension.”
No one seems to be buying it, and politicians are likely to stoke the flames in upcoming elections. Annual nationalist rallies next week won’t help.
Russia battles racism in football
