Home page МАYDAY - Andrei Babitski Russian

Suspended since February 26 2000

OPEN HEARINGS

• Vladimir Putin, Acting President of the Russian Federation
• Presidential Aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky, and Valeri Manilov, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces
• Against the actions of law enforcement bodies responsible for the detention of Andrei Babitsky, keeping him in custody and handing him over to unidentified persons
• Against the actions of the Prosecutor General's Office

Editorial Office Backgrounder

During the past half year Russia has been gradually submerging into the habitual ugliness of totalitarian control of the country.

Glasnost is incapable of breaking through the information strongholds behind which the authorities are hiding their plans, actions and their results. The legal institutions have formed a single shield to cover up any errors and crimes of the authorities.

The situation was highlighted by the case of journalist Andrei Babitsky.

The obvious lies by top officials and flagrant violations of the basic human right, the right to defend oneself when accused of perpetrating criminal deeds, total neglect of international obligations to ensure freedom of expression and unobstructed work of journalists, the Russian authorities are brazenly demonstrating all these to the world.

In what is an obvious attempt to make short shrift of a journalist the Russian authorities present us with a grab bag of conflicting speculations in order to hide from responsibility behind motley opinions.

Either society will keep the authorities in the reins of law or the authorities will turn law into a noose on the neck of society.

We therefore suggest that the discussion of the Andrei Babitsky affair be conducted in the language of legal arguments.

There exist precise standards, rules and international agreements. It is our duty to prevent the flagrant and deliberate neglect of these standards which form the foundation of the human community. Or at least we should not become reconciled with such neglect.

As soon as emotional discussions give way to legal arguments, evil deeds will become evil deeds regardless of the personal charisma of the villains. Perhaps we shall be able to stop the powers that be by precisely defining their actions and identifying their personal responsibility. Perhaps in this way we will be able to save the life of Andrei Babitsky. This is the main goal of the Internet hearings we are opening.

The goal of the open hearings: opinion of the Chief Editor of the magazine.

TOPICS OF THE HEARINGS

• Information on Vladimir Putin's actions
  (latest report on February 15, 2000)
• The magazine's position
• Discussion
  • in defence of Vladimir Putin's actions
  • in defence of the magazine's position
• Your contribution to the hearings
• Voting

• information on the actions of Sergei Yastrzhembsky (the last item dated February 17, 2000)
  and Valeri Manilov (last item dated February 18, 2000)
• The magazine's position
• Discussion
  • in defence of the actions of Sergei Yastrzhembsky and Valeri Manilov
  • in defence of the magazine's position
• Your contribution to the hearings
• Voting

• information on the actions of the law enforcement bodies
  (the last item dated February 17, 2000)
• The magazine's position
• Discussion
  • in defence of the actions of the law enforcement bodies (not translated)
  • in defence of the magazine's position (not translated)
• Your contribution to the hearings
• Voting

• information on the actions of the Prosecutor General's Office
  (the last item dated February 11, 2000)
• The magazine's position
• Discussion
  • in defence of the actions of the Prosecutor General's Office (not translated)
  • in defence of the magazine's position (not translated)
• Your contribution to the hearings
• Voting