By Madeline Schiesser
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

TAMBOV, Russia – A former deacon in the city of Tambov has been defrocked for his support of the Russian punk bank, Pussy Riot, and their “punk prayer” stunt in Moscow’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral in February.  In an open letter, Sergei Baranov resigned in August in protest of the Russian Orthodox Church’s stance against three members of the band.  His subsequent defrocking will likely become official within weeks.

Baranov was the first Russian Orthodox cleric to resign in outrage at how the church dealt with the members of Pussy Riot.

“Everyone prays as they can,” Baranov said, explaining his support of Pussy Riot. “And with their act they exposed the ills and blisters of society. We should have done that a long time ago.”

Baranov feels that the church handled Pussy Riot’s protest heavy handedly.  He feels that the church’s actions show that it cares more for president Putin and the government than the needs of its believers.  Its reaction to the protest demonstrates that the church is overdue for serious reform.

In his open letter, Baranov further explained that the “unlawful sentence to the members of the Pussy Riot band [] was passed with direct influence of the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and the people who, by some strange accident, call themselves ‘orthodox citizens.”

Tambov regional clergy answered, accusing Baranov of rakish behavior and using the current rocky political climate and the Pussy Riot trial as an excuse to resign.

Unrest has grown in Russia since Vladimir Putin’s re-election to a third presidential term in March.  He received strong support from the conservative Russian Orthodox Church, which characterized Putin as a “miracle of God.”

Pussy Riot’s February “punk prayer” at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow was directed as a protest against President Putin.  Three of its members were arrested, found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, and sentenced to two years in a penal colony prison.  Russians are sharply divided over what some see as a government crackdown on dissent.

Other figures in Russia have also spoken out against the harsh treatment the Pussy Riot members.  Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev, while clarifying that he does not approve of their stunt, has called for leniency with respect to the three imprisoned members, arguing that they should be released.

It is possible the church will further purge Baranov by requesting his excommunication.  If this happens, Baranov will no longer be permitted to take any part in the services he has loved since childhood.

“When the media furor dies down, they will simply excommunicate me from Church,” Baranov said. “Once this happens, I won’t have the right to enter a church, I will lose the right to communion.”  Even so, Baranov says he does not regret his resignation.

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Pussy Riot Supporter Priest to be Defrocked – 19 September 2012

Huffington Post – Sergei Baranov, Orthodox Russian Deacon, Stands Up For Pussy Riot – 18 September 2012

International Herald Tribune – Medvedev Says Rockers Have Served Enough Jail Time for Cathedral Performance – 12 September 2012

Impunity Watch – Two Members of Pussy Riot Flee Russia to Avoid Prosecution – 27 August 2012

Russia Today (RT) – Russian Church Denies Claims it Held own Pussy Riot Trial – 20 August 2012

Impunity Watch – Members of Punk Band to Continue Their Protest While Awaiting Band Mates’ Verdict – 14 August 2012

Press Release 
Hermitage Capital

20  September  2012 –  Today,  the foreign affairs committee of the European Parliament voted  62-2  (with  1  abstention)  in favor of a resolution to recommend  to  the  European Council of Ministers to “establish a common EU list  of  officials  responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, for the subsequent  judicial  cover-up and for the ongoing and sustained harassment of  his mother and widow” and, “impose and implement an EU-wide visa ban on these  officials and to freeze any financial assets they or their immediate family may hold inside the European Union”

The  EU  Council  of  Ministers  is the key decision making body of foreign ministers from the 27 EU member states and is empowered to implement a visa ban  and asset freeze. Although many national EU parliaments have called on their  governments  to  impose  national  Magnitsky  sanctions  against the Russian   officials   who  killed  Magnitsky  in  the  past,  the  national governments  have been reluctant to do so in fear of retaliation by Russia.

By  having  the  visa ban proposal initiated by the European Parliament, it bypasses  any  individual  country  risking a confrontation with Russia and allows for a common EU approach towards the problem. This same approach was taken  by  the  European  Commission  in relation to anti trust issues with Gazprom.

This  step  by the European Parliament follows two previous resolutions: in December 2010 (http://russian-untouchables.com/rus/docs/D405.pdf),  and in December 2011 calling for sanctions in the Magnitsky matter in case of “further inaction by the Russian authorities for the Council to take  into consideration actions such as an EU‐wide travel ban and a freeze on  the  financial assets of those found guilty of the torture and death of Sergei Magnitsky as well as covering up the case.” (http://russian-untouchables.com/rus/docs/D406.pdf)

Since it has been nearly three years since the case was first raised at the European  Parliament,  the Foreign Affairs Committee has now concluded that no  progress  has  been  made  and  are  swiftly  moving  forward  with the implementation of sanctions in this case.

The  resolution  was  put forward by Kristiina Ojuland MEP (Estonia) who is ALDE  Spokesperson on Russia and was appointed Rapporteur on the ‘Magnitsky Report’  for  the European Parliament. In that capacity she was responsible for  drafting  a recommendation to the European Parliament on how to impose EU  sanctions  on the Russian officials responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky.

In response to today’s vote, she said:

“The adoption of the report by the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament today is a crucial step in getting the visa restrictions and asset freezes in place against the people who were involved in the death of Sergei Magnitsky. These targeted sanctions proposed in the Magnitsky report put real pressure on Russian authorities to start taking criticism on human rights seriously. These sanctions are not directed against the Russian people, but area against corruption and human rights violators.”

The next step in the process is for the full European Parliament to vote on the  resolution at the plenary session of the Parliament which is scheduled to take place in October.

Link to the draft Report:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+COMPARL+PE-492.835+01+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN

For further information please contact:
Hermitage Capital
Phone:              +44 207 440 17 77
E-mail:             info@lawandorderinrussia.org
Website:           http://lawandorderinrussia.org
Facebook:         http://on.fb.me/hvIuVI
Twitter:            @KatieFisher__
Livejournal:      http://hermitagecap.livejournal.com/

By Alexandra Sandacz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – In November of 2010, a Russian opposition activist, Taisiya Osipova, was arrested when four grams of heroin were found in her home. Initially, as a result of her crime, Osipova was sentence to ten years in prison. Osipova’s prison sentence sparked immediate outrage because the sentence is twice as long as prosecutors requested.

Although Osipova was originally sentenced to 10 years for the drug violation, upon request, her case was reviewed after ex-President, Dmitry Medvedev, categorized Osipova’s ten-year sentence as “too harsh.”

At the review, Osipova continued to protest her innocence. She claimed that the police planted the drugs as revenge because she refused to testify against her husband, Sergei Fomchenkov, a leader of the Other Russia movement. Furthermore, a witness for the defense testified at Osipova’s trial that he saw a police officer put the drugs in her apartment. As a result, a higher court diminished her sentence by two years.

Taisiya Osipova’s unexpected verdict was decided two weeks after the punk band, Pussy Riot, was jailed for two years for their anti-Vladimir Putin performance in Moscow. Osipova’s verdict, as well as the Pussy Riot’s jail sentence, sparked a tremendous amount of criticism as disproportionate.

Eduard Limonov, the leader of the Other Russia party, stated that the Osipova verdict “is not only a political one, its also terrifying revenge”. Additionally, one of Russia’s most prominent opposition figures, Sergei Udaltsov, called the sentence “schizophrenic and monstrous”, and “the triumph of lawlessness and cynicism”.

Many opposition activists have staged regular protests against Osipova’s prosecution, arguing that the charges were the police’s revenge tactic.

In February, Osipova’s name was included on a list of prominent activists described as political prisoners that was presented to then-President, Medvedev. Ultimately, The European Parliament passed a resolution on September 13 condemning Russia’s use of its judiciary for political purposes.

For further information, please see:

RFE/RL — Russian Prosecutor Says Activists’ Sentence Too Harsh – 17 September 2012

The Independent — Activist Taisiya Osipova’s prison sentence is called ‘terrifying revenge’ – 29 August 2012

BBC — Russian activist Taisiya Osipova given long sentence – 28 August 2012

The Huffington Post — Taisiya Osipova Jailed: Wife Of Russian Opposition Sentenced To 8 Years In Prison – 28 August 2012

By Madeline Schiesser
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BARCELONA, Spain – On Tuesday evening, an estimated 1.5 million people rallied in the Spanish city of Barcelona.  The rally protested Spanish tax laws asserted by the central government in Madrid.  Additionally, Catalonia seeks fiscal independence, a government bailout of tax debt, and political autonomy.

The independence rally, or march, is held annually on September 11 to coincide with National Day or Diada.  The date marks the end of the Siege of Barcelona 300 years ago during the War of Spanish succession.  This year’s peaceful rally aims to be the largest ever, drawing a crowd of some 1.5 million people from around Catalonia.

The marchers, already filling the designed route by the time the march began, carried pro-independence flags: the red and gold striped flag of Catalonia with the addition of a blue triangle and single white star, and banners with the motto “Catalonia, New European State.”

The independence movement had received limited support prior to the financial crisis.  However, polls Tuesday showed that 46.4% of Catalans support independence; double the figure in 2008 when the crisis began. However, not all Catalans offer their support.  Particularly, traditionally rural Spanish immigrants and people from other European states would be very unlikely to vote for independence.

Spurred by the financial crisis, many Catalans object to what they perceive as a disproportionately high tax contribution to the central government compared to what is returned.  Catalonia, in the north-east corner of Spain, is also Spain’s wealthiest region, representing a fifth of Spain’s economy.

In Spain, one in four people are unemployed and the economy has continued to decline for three consecutive quarters.  The Catalonia region is also struggling.  This year, it took out €13billion (£10bn, $16.6bn) in loans to refinance a maturing debt in addition to funding its deficit for the year.

A recent credit ratings downgrade has also shut Catalonia out of the debt market.  There is also concern that the Catalan government may have barely enough funds to pay its public sector employees.

In August, Catalonia requested a €5 billion (£4bn, $6.4bn) bailout from Madrid from an €18 billion emergency fund created to help regions pay off debts and suppliers of health care and other basic services.  It is believed that this is what the government owes Catalonia in overpaid taxes.

“It’s absurd that we are now having to ask the government in Madrid to lend us money that should have been ours to use in the first place,” said Luis Planagumà, a protestor from Santa Pau who traveled two hours by bus with a group of about 1,500 to join the rally.

Consequently, many Catalans want to see Catalonia gain greater fiscal autonomy from Madrid, and therefore reduce its tax contribution to the central system.  As seen from the rally Tuesday, many Catalans desire a further step as well: political autonomy.

Law student Laura Nuñez explained her confidence that political autonomy would improve the Catalan economy. “We’re economically the most powerful part of Spain, because of industry and tourism, and we contribute more than other Spanish regions,” she said. “We shouldn’t be subject to this internal discrimination.”

However, the Catalan CiU (Convergència i Unió) nationalist government may not be prepared for the idea of independence.  The CiU has governed Catalonia for 25 years, but has never pushed for autonomy.  Catalan President Artur Mas did not plan to participate in the rally.  A spokeswoman, Carme Forcadell, for the group behind the march, made clear that “[a]nyone who attends should understand that they will be considered pro-independence.”

President Mas did, however, support some of the demands of the marchers.  “Catalonia produces sufficient resources to live better than we live,” said Mas. “There is no more urgent battle or challenge than fiscal sovereignty, and now more than ever.”

However, Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy opposes fiscal independence for Catalonia.  He claims that it would achieve nothing in Spain’s overall battle against economic collapse.  Instead, Rajoy places emphasis on employment: “This isn’t a moment for big gestures like this. What we need to do is create jobs.”

At a press conference following Tuesday’s rally, Mas expressed his pride in the Catalan people, but cautioned that the path to independence would not be an easy one.  As for financial independence, Mas explained that it is part of the process of autonomy.

Prime Minister Rajoy and Catalan President Mas are scheduled to meet on 20 September.  Although this meeting will likely not bring the people of Catalonia the independence they desire, Mas’ message to Rajoy and Spain is this: “Listen carefully to Catalunya and [offer] solutions.”

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Huge Turnout for Catalan Independence Rally – 11 September 2012

Global Post – Spain: Catalonia Independence Rally Draws More than a Million (PHOTOS) – September 2012

The Guardian – Catalan Independence Rally Brings Barcelona to a Standstill – 11 September 2012

International Herald Tribune – Protest Rally in Catalonia Adds a Worry for Spain – 11 September 2012

La Vanguardia – Mas: “Todo es Posible si hay Voluntad, Grandes Mayorías y Capacidad de Resistir” – 12 September 2012

Press Release – Courtesy of  Hermitage Capital
For Immediate Distribution

13 September 2012 – Today at 11 am, the Tverskoi District Court in Moscow will begin hearings on the indictment of Dmitry Kratov, former deputy chief of Butyrka detention center for medical negligence.

Kratov’s indictment absolves him from any responsibility for the complicity in Magnitsky’s torture and murder. It is signed by Deputy General Prosecutor, Victor Grin, the same prosecutor who launched the unprecedented posthumous prosecution against Sergei Magnitsky last year. This is the first prosecution of a dead man in Russian history.

The negligence case will be heard by Judge Tatiana Neverova, the same judge who refused Sergei Magnitsky’s petition about the violation of his rights when he was still alive.

“Under this case, the investigators and prosecutors have legalised the knowingly false version of Magnitsky’s death in detention allegedly on medical grounds, due to heart failure and made-up diagnoses of sugar diabetes and hepatitis. This medical version masks the cruel retribution Magnitsky fell victim of for his role in defending his client, the Hermitage Fund, and in exposing the criminal scheme secretly functioning over several years through which billions of roubles had been siphoned from the budget,” said lawyer Nikolai Gorokhov, counsel to Magnitsky’s mother.

At the preliminary hearing that took place on 27 July 2012, the Magnitsky family lawyer requested the criminal case in relation to Kratov be returned to prosecutors for a full investigation of his role in the conspiracy to falsely imprison, torture and murder Sergei Magnitsky. The judge refused his petition on the grounds that no other co-conspirators have been identified in the  investigation into Magnitsky’s death.

Judge Neverova also refused all other applications from the family’s lawyer.

A year ago, Mrs Magnitskaya wrote to the Russian Investigative Committee naming a number of Russian officials for their complicity in the false arrest, torture and murder of her son (http://russian-untouchables.com/rus/docs/D275.pdf). The investigators have refused to open a probe into those officials named by Magnitsky’s mother and have fully exonerated them.

In November 2010, Sergei Magnitsky’s mother received the Global Integrity Award from Tansparency International on behalf of her late son honoring his fight against Russian government corruption.

 

For further information please contact:

Hermitage Capital
Phone:              +44 207 440 17 77
E-mail:              info@lawandorderinrussia.org
Website:           http://lawandorderinrussia.org
Facebook:        http://on.fb.me/hvIuVI
Twitter:             @KatieFisher__
Livejournal:       http://hermitagecap.livejournal.com/

 

See a report on the Cover up of Magnitsky’s murder:

http://www.russian-untouchables.com/rus/docs/P01RUS.pdf