Re: Russia "no longer free"

lorad474@xxxxxx wrote:

> For educational purposes:
> " Putin's chief economic adviser quits By Neil Buckley in Moscow
> Published: December 27 2005 17:04
>
> Andrei Illarionov, President Vladimir Putin's chief economic adviser
> but also an acerbic critic of the Kremlin's grab for economic power,
> offered his resignation on Tuesday, saying Russia was "no longer
> free".

It is sort of a puzzle -- how come this guy held on and stayed an
advisor to Putin for so long.

Btw, you can give up trying to convince people like Mr. Holman to
notice what they -- for whatever reasons -- simply refuse to see.

"Ratings Change

Russia's political rights rating declined from 5 to 6, and its status
from Partly Free to Not Free, due to the virtual elimination of
influential political opposition parties within the country and the
further concentration of executive power."

http://www.freedomhouse.org/modules/mod_call_dsp_country-fiw.cfm?country=6818

"FREEDOM OF THE PRESS - Russia (2005)
Legal Environment: 14
Political Influences: 31
Economic Pressures: 23
Total Score: 68


Status: Not Free


In 2004, press freedom in Russia remained restricted as the government
continued to control mass media and to obstruct the reporting of
independent journalists. Although the constitution provides for freedom
of speech and of the press, the Kremlin, having secured the country's
main national television networks-Channel One, RTR, and NTV-and most
radio stations, limits these rights in practice. Authorities abuse a
weak judicial system and use it for arbitrary arrests and lawsuits."

http://65.110.85.181/inc/content/pubs/pfs/inc_country_detail.cfm?country=6818&pf

.