#justice for alexei navalny

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

"I’ve been sleeping with my phone since dreading yet another call of that sort. “I believe that my husband’s life is in danger as are lives of many other political prisoners... These people are kept behind bars, very often with serious medical conditions, with no proper medical treatment.”

Yevgeniya Kara-Murza, the wife of imprisoned Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza, responding to the murder of Alexei Navalny on February 16. Her own husband's health has suffered since he was imprisoned for exposing Russian war crimes in Ukraine. He is said to suffer from polyneuropathy, which was caused after he was poisoned twice with the banned chamical nerve agent, Novichok.

[agentfascinateur]

Rename the Arctic's seas the "Navalny Sea"

[asgoodeasgold]

📣📣 Matthew Goode has a new audiobook coming out on 22 Oct - he narrates Alexei Navalny's memoir 'Patriot'‼️

It's available to pre-order from various platforms - more information on Penguin's website ➡️

He is only mentioned as narrator on Amazon Audible US but I assume this info is correct!

I am so excited about this, an important, worthy book. Penguin describes it as "a brave, passionate and intimate read" and I know Matthew will do it justice.

📷 My edit from Amazon US page and photograph of MG from Paramount+ UK premiere - license purchased by Alyssa Tang

[beyourselfchulanmaria]

ㅠ_ㅠ R.I.P Alexei Navalny (1976.07.04-2024.02.16) He was a Russian opposition leader, lawyer, anti-corruption activist, and political prisoner. He organised anti-government demonstrations and ran for office to advocate reforms against corruption in Russia and against President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was a Russian Opposition Coordination Council member, the leader of the Russia of the Future party and founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). He was recognised by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience and was awarded the Sakharov Prize for his work on human rights. 🙏

Sending a song for his beautiful soul 😭 💔 xoxo

🕊 非常純淨平安的歌聲，簡單樸實而不華麗…但我覺得祂卻能讓現在這悲慘又破碎不堪的世界得到些許安慰與緩衝。 A very pure and peaceful song, moving and simple but not gorgeous… that I think it can bring some comfort to ease up this miserable and broken world. - Lan~* *The choir from 天主教台北總教區 Catholic Of Taipei Archdiocese/Taiwan

真福八端

耶穌說： 「神貧的人是有福的，因為天國是他們的。 哀慟的人是有福的，因為他們要受安慰。 溫良的人是有福的，因為他們要承受土地。 飢渴慕義的人是有福的，因為他們要得飽飫。 憐憫人的人是有福的，因為他們要受憐憫。 心裏潔淨的人是有福的，因為他們要看見天主。 締造和平的人是有福的，因為他們要稱為天主的子女。 為義而受迫害的人是有福的，因為天國是他們的。 幾時人為了我而辱罵迫害你們，捏造一切壞話毀謗你們，你們是有福的。你們歡喜踴躍罷！因為你們在天上的賞報是豐厚的，因為在你們以前的先知，人也曾這樣迫害過他們。」

he taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.

─ 瑪5：3-12 (Matthew:Chapter 5 : 3-12)

and Donated what you can! 你所能及的捐款

Be the change you want to see in the world. 在世界上成為你想看到的改變

─ 聖雄 甘地 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)

請為國際人權組織工作募款 謝謝!

Please raise funds for the work of international human rights organizations Thanks!

Quegli squallidi e nauseanti cialtroni che in Italia si atteggiano a vittime della censura dovrebbero nascondersi e seppellirsi dalla vergogna. La Russia è un regime totalitario nazistalinista e mafioso.

[russianprotesters]

what one might call "beside myself" today-- was going to rest, as I didn't sleep well. but I had to look at memorials for Alexei Navalny today. go between that... church in the living room... watching Cassndra on Netflix.... I feel I should post something on facebook, but I'm not sure what. I want to get people to listen to me-- see freedom is worth it, see that Alexei matters, at least for them to notice him so next time they at least recognize his name... for people to stay angry at his death. never trivialize it. when esp leaders fail to condemn political murder (as well as blatant invasion) it amounts to tacit approval, perhaps transplanting of a similar thing, those wannabe dictators who admire putin...

aah at least say his name, putin didn't until he was dead. as if the fear dissipated then lol. but the fear should still remain-- the dictators and wannabe dictators who want to diminish freedom and hijack grievances for their own aggrandizement-- they should fear free people. truly free people

Alexei above all inspired people. he does to me. there should be anger at his death. anger for him and for all that was lost. to honor his memory he should still inspire us. -- not only anger but action fueled by it.

which is?

-remain truly free person in mind as he was. don't let fear shrink you into caving in to dictators.

do what you can in your environment. what your inner self leads you to do. not unnecessary risk perhaps... but conscience should be more important than fear of any 'great leader'.

-don't let fear keep you from doing what's right.

dictators thrive on manufacturing fear, but they're afraid of the people who are truly free in mind and heart.

the question is-- what to do specifically.

-keep speaking up for truth and freedom and justice. use my words, even if i'm basically nobody, even if no one seems to be listening... Never give up.

write. Something. keep going. coalesce into---? not sure yet, but it won't appear if i give up (rest is ok, but not shrinking into passivity and letting dictators grow in power and trample over everyone without a fight)

[mariacallous]

On November 17, the Russian Justice Ministry announced that it had filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court demanding that the “international LGBT movement” be banned as an “extremist organization” in Russia. The agency failed to explain what exactly the “LGBT movement” is, who leads it, or how it’s structured, but it claimed to have identified signs of an “extremist orientation” in its workings. The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the request on November 30. Meduza has compiled some of the initial reactions to the suit from prominent Russian journalists, politicians, and bloggers.

Valery Fadeyev

Chairman of Russia’s Presidential Human Rights Council

What LGBT movement? Is this a movement, an organization, that exists in Russia? That what my initial thought. We’ll have to look at the details of this lawsuit and see what we’re talking about here.

Yekaterina Mizulina

Head of the Safe Internet League

This means a serious barrier will be imposed against values that undermine Russia and destroy our identity. I want to thank the courage and professionalism of our law enforcement officers, Justice Ministry specialists, and Safe Internet League experts who helped prepare this historic event. We’re making progress.

Farida Rustamova

Independent journalist

The Russian Justice Ministry invented the “international LGBT public movement” and is now trying to ban it. In practice, this will likely mean they’ll be able to jail someone for having a rainbow flag on their social media avatar, for example. That’s the kind of electoral campaign Putin is running as he approaches his fifth term.

Leonid Volkov

Politician, Alexey Navalny associate

And so it begins: Putin’s “electoral campaign dedicated to traditional values” that we were promised, with Russia portrayed as a “family of families.”

Well, to be precise, it started a bit earlier, when they suddenly launched their anti-abortion agenda from all directions. Now is the second step. The fact that there’s no “extremist LGBTQ+ organization” is of no concern to anyone, of course; Putin’s political strategists need the image of an enemy that the elderly president can confidently defeat, and as a bonus, all Center E branches will get the chance to fabricate as many criminal cases as they want and receive promotions.

Ksenia Sobchak

Journalist and media figure

EVERYONE has finally fucking lost it. It’s just unbelievable.

We’re really going to find ourselves in the same league as North Korea, the Taliban, and Hamas pretty soon.

Yevgeny Popov

Deputy chair of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, propagandist

The details of this lawsuit are not very clear, and, of course, we can’t predict what decision the court will make. So let’s refrain from speculating about it right now, because we’ve begun discussing even the rainbow openly and publicly. Let’s not be absurd — it’s impossible to ban a rainbow, wind, storms, or clouds.

As far as LGBT’s recognition as some kind of organization — let’s look at the explanations, the arguments from both sides. It will be a very interesting legal process. For now, I don’t have an understanding of how it will be interpreted.

Sergey Badashmin

Lawyer

Are they going to declare rainbows “extremist material?”

Maksim Olenichev

Lawyer

LGBT activists will continue their work; after all, there are millions of LGBT people living in Russia. But their work will get significantly more dangerous. The number of LGBT initiatives will most likely shrink, some will go underground, but the work of helping LGBT people will continue — in new conditions and with higher risks.

Sergey Parkhomenko

Journalist

Am I understanding correctly that this international LGBT movement that the Russian Justice Ministry wants to declare extremist and ban is not a specific organization, not a legal entity or an association of people, but just the general LGBT movement, small “m,” with no quotation marks, in its entirety, in all of its forms and manifestations, on a global level?

Or am I missing something, and they mean something or someone more specific?

Georgy Urushadze

Founder of the publishing company Freedom Letters

So you’re telling me that the Taliban can’t be declared extremist, but an entire human rights movement can? [...]

We’ll show them our flag. Along with our middle fingers.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

How to Understand Brazil’s Stance on Venezuela’s Election

Lula’s policy is an attempt to exert influence over Brazil’s neighbor, but the recent past suggests this may have limited effect.

In the aftermath of what looks to have been a blatantly fraudulent election in Venezuela on July 28, the administration of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has decided to join Mexico and Colombia to help facilitate a dialogue between the Maduro administration and the opposition.

This has reignited familiar discussions about Brazil’s foreign policy strategy. Similarly to its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Brazil has sought to craft a “neutral strategy,” predictably enraging those who say the facts are too clear to justify fence-sitting. Thirty former Latin American presidents recently exhorted Lula to take a tougher stance to defend democracy in Venezuela. Be it growing tensions between the West and China, the war between Russia and Ukraine, or Venezuela’s descent into full-blown dictatorship, Brazil—just like other large powers in the Global South, such as India or Indonesia—often opts for an ambiguous stance to keep all doors open. This is often described as “pragmatism” by its supporters and decried as hypocritical or morally questionable by critics.

Those opposed to Lula’s strategy of seeking to persuade Venezuelan electoral authorities to release the vote tally sheets before deciding whether to accept Maduro’s claim of victory see it as playing into the hands of Venezuela’s president. After all, calling for an “impartial verification of the results” in a country without properly functioning checks and balances or an independent electoral justice system implicitly ends up lending an autocratic government a veneer of legitimacy, as if an impartial verification were possible. Lula has a history of making similar remarks about Russia, such as calling for an independent investigation into the death, earlier this year, of Putin opponent Alexei Navalny, who endured conditions in prison that have been described as amounting to torture.

In addition, the initiative by Brazil, Colombia and Mexico certainly helps Maduro buy time as he hopes the international community will move on once the next crisis emerges someplace else, repeating a strategy he has successfully pursued for years. Lula’s off-the-cuff description of the Venezuelan elections as a “standard and orderly” process and the enthusiastic support of much of the Workers Party for Venezuela’s dictator substantiated Lula’s critics’ position. For them, Brazil was unwilling to condemn Maduro’s transition to “Ortega-style” rule, inadvertently helping Maduro avoid broader diplomatic isolation in the West and ultimately being Maduro’s “useful idiot.” Lula’s diplomatic advisor Celso Amorim’s comment that he had “no confidence” in the vote tallies provided by the opposition is likely to deepen this type of criticism further.

Those who defend Lula’s strategy, on the other hand, question the rush to denounce Maduro and say Brazil’s president is just being prudent. The Brazilian government’s argument is that cutting all diplomatic ties with Caracas would simply deepen Venezuela’s isolation, pushing it even closer to the likes of Russia, Iran and China. It’s an argument that deserves attention. Brazilian diplomats rightly point out that the strategy by Western and Latin American countries of recognizing former opposition leader Juan Guiadó a few years ago failed spectacularly and forced governments into awkwardly reestablishing ties to the Venezuelan regime as Maduro’s hold on power proved more resilient than anticipated. Finally, with both the United States and European governments facing other geopolitical challenges higher up on the list of priorities, having Brazil take the lead on the thankless task of dealing with the crisis in Venezuela has been welcomed by several Western nations.

Continue reading.

[carolinemillerbooks]

New Post has been published on Books by Caroline Miller

New Post has been published on https://www.booksbycarolinemiller.com/musings/a-curmudgeon-in-the-family-of-man/

A Curmudgeon In The Family Of Man

I was grateful to my neighbor for helping me with a technical problem.  He’s the resident guru on computers at the retirement center and far too modest about himself. Aware that I might need his advice in the future, I asked if he’d care to adopt me despite my advanced age.  A smile parted his lips as his gaze dropped to the carpet. “We’re all family here,” he said. I walked away thinking he’d uttered a beautiful notion, though I tend to reject sentiments that are warm and fuzzy.  I’m old enough to know that the history of “the “family of man” is dysfunctional. Since Caine slew Able we’ve worked to perfect the art of violence. Murder isn’t the kind of glue to hold society together, so we attempt to contain it by inventing rules. Murder on a grand scale we call war.  The rules on those occasions are those of The Geneva Convention. The smaller stuff we leave to religion, laws, politics, and the whims of tyranny. But, like the potter who leaves his fingerprints upon newly shaped clay, because we are flawed creatures, the systems we create can be weaponized and used to threaten others. Justice, after all, is the gloved fist of vengeance. Bill Clinton, our 42nd President, sees philanthropy as a better way to promote social cohesion. Philanthropy can help bust through political and cultural gridlock by showing what can be done. He has many true believers, so many that at his last conference on philanthropy, a thousand do-gooders had to be turned away.   Enthusiasm on this scale is heartwarming, but I’m a curmudgeon. I’ve never been keen to turn the world over to philanthropists.  Who are they, after all, but people otherwise known as oligarchs? Nick Caraway in The Great Gatsby told us about them. They are people who don’t think like the rest of us. I doubt any butcher, baker, cowboy, or tailor would choose to live in a Martian colony under Elan Musk’s rules. I place my faith in “we the people.” Democracy’s collective mind is where we are most likely to find common ground. Alexei Navalny, Vladamir Putin’s murdered opponent, was a man of the people. Having survived attempts to assassinate him, he warned his followers their fate didn’t depend upon his survival but upon their will. If it happens, if they decide to kill me, it means we are incredibly strong.  We need to use that power. (“A  Hero of Our Time,” by Mariam Elder, Vanity Fair, April 2024, pg. 34.) His words may seem like a whistle against the dark, but the Ukrainian people are a living example of that courage. Their David and Goliath story can set this curmudgeon’s heart to racing. Even so, dreams can become fodder for blind ambition.      Our Republican House has placed a chokehold on future aid to that country, reversing their past support.  They did it to placate their revenge candidate, Donald Trump, in the upcoming presidential election.  Trump holds a grudge against Ukraine and is happy to curry the favor of their invader, Vladimir Putin.  If elected, our former president promises to leave Ukraine to the Russians. The predatory world in which we live is Nature’s doing, but humans have wasted no time in making a hell out of the heaven they inherited.  Some attempt to escape the violence by turning to drugs or alcohol. Others rely on religion, mysticism, or conspiracy theories for the dopamine high that makes them happy. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and augmented virtual reality could provide other avenues of escape. Their illusions might help us create worlds so satisfying, that many won’t return to planet Earth. For proof of that possibility, observe how people are mesmerized by their smartphones. We humans aren’t algorithms, however. Wherever we go, we drag our dark side behind us like a beloved toy.  That’s a drawback to consider as we cheer the coming of augmented reality. Despite the challenges ahead, like Navalny, I have hope because….well, what else is there?  Fraternity, equality, and liberty are pretty good ideas. To obtain them all we have to do is curb our tribal nature, though some have argued it doesn’t exist. Whether Instinctive or learned, history confirms that group-think seems natural to us.  We desire to be among people who look like us and share our values.  That passion for conformity rivals our growing need to respect diversity and sometimes makes democracy seem like a fool’s dream.    Given my doubts about the future of mankind, I left the caring gentleman at the retirement center with one request.  “please don’t include me as a member of the community.  I prefer to be the resident alley cat.”

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Amazing what you can get done when you're not golfing everyday.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

August 1, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Aug 02, 2024

“This is a very good afternoon,” President Joe Biden said today. “[A] very good afternoon.”

“Today, we’re bringing home Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir—three American citizens and one American green-card holder. 

“All four have been imprisoned unjustly in Russia…. Russian authorities arrested them, convicted them in show trials, and sentenced them to long prison terms with absolutely no legitimate reason whatsoever. None.” 

In a complicated prisoner swap involving the U.S., Russia, and at least seven other countries, Americans Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, and Alsu Kurmasheva and British-Russian activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who openly opposed the invasion of Ukraine, came home from Russia. Four German citizens who had also been wrongfully detained—meaning they had not broken laws but were being held as political bargaining chips—were also part of the exchange, along with a fifth who was released from Belarus. 

Also in the swap were seven Russian citizens who had been detained as political prisoners, four of whom worked with Alexei Navalny, the political opposition leader who died in February in a Russian prison. They have left Russia and will make their way to other countries. It is extraordinary that the U.S. government managed to force Putin to release his own citizens, and Biden called it out. “It says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world,” he said. “It also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and human rights. Their own leaders threw them in prison. The United States helped secure their release as well. That’s who we are in the United States.

“We stand for freedom, for liberty, for justice—not only for our own people but for others as well. And that’s why all Americans can take pride in what we’ve achieved today.” 

In exchange, Russian president Vladimir Putin got the prisoner he wanted most, hit man Vadim Krasikov, back from Germany. In addition, the U.S. released three Russians, Slovenia released two, and Norway and Poland each released one. All told, eight Russians went home. 

Foreign affairs journalist Anne Applebaum noted that “a group of brave journalists and democracy activists are being exchanged for a group of brutal spies.” The exchange included no money or sanctions relief. 

The U.S. had been calling for the freedom of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as part of the negotiations when he died abruptly in Russian custody in February 2024. His death briefly derailed the negotiations that had been going on since shortly after Biden took office. Even before he took office, he had asked his national security team to dig into all the cases of hostages being wrongfully detained, which they were inheriting from the previous administration. “I wanted to make sure we’d hit the ground running,” Biden said today, “and we did.” 

He noted that with today’s releases, his administration “has brought home over 70 Americans who were wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad, many since before I took office.” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan later noted that the administration has reclaimed U.S. citizens from “Afghanistan, Burma, Gaza, Haiti, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Rwanda, and elsewhere.”

Asking Germany to release Krasikov was a big ask, but the government was willing to exchange him for Navalny. After Navalny’s death, it seemed likely the deal could not be revived. But Sullivan believed he saw a way forward, and Biden called German chancellor Olaf Scholz and asked him to continue to move forward. “For you, I will do this,” Scholz said. The president told Sullivan to get it done. In April President Biden sent a formal request to Scholz asking him to make the complicated swap that transpired today. When a reporter today asked Biden what Scholz had demanded in return, Biden answered: “Nothing.”

In his remarks today, Biden emphasized that the deal was “a feat of diplomacy and friendship—friendship. Multiple countries helped get this done. They joined difficult, complex negotiations at my request. And I personally thank them all again.  And I’ve thanked them personally, and I’ll thank them again.”

“This deal would not have been made possible without our allies Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. They all stepped up, and they stood with us. They stood with us, and they made bold and brave decisions, released prisoners being held in their countries who were justifiably being held, and provided logistical support to get the Americans home. So, for anyone who questions whether allies matter, they do. They matter. 

“And today is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world—friends you can trust, work with, and depend upon, especially on matters of great consequence and sensitivity like this. 

“Our alliances make our people safer.”  

Sullivan was clear about where specific praise was due. “Today’s exchange is a feat of diplomacy that honestly could only be achieved by a leader like Joe Biden,” he said at a press conference this afternoon.” He directed the team and was personally engaged in the diplomacy necessary. “There is no more singular or concrete demonstration that the alliances that the president has reinvigorated around the world matter to Americans—to the individual safety of Americans and to the collective security of Americans,” Sullivan said. “And honestly, guys, I can just say this was vintage Joe Biden, rallying…American allies to save American citizens and Russian freedom fighters and doing it with intricate statecraft, pulling his whole team together to drive this across the finish line.” 

Tearing up, Sullivan added, “Today…was a very good day.”

This deal was in the works during the weeks when the press was hounding the president and suggesting he was not fit to do the work of the office. In fact, a senior administration official briefing reporters this morning pointed out that on July 20, an hour before he announced to the nation that he would not accept the Democratic nomination for president, Biden “was on the phone with his Slovenian counterpart, urging them to make the final arrangements and to get this deal over the finish line.” 

This is the largest prisoner swap since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The administration warned journalists that no one should think that there has been a breakthrough in the relationship between the U.S. and Russia or that tensions have eased. Putin’s continuing attacks on Ukraine and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and our European partners, as well as his growing defense relationship with China, North Korea, and Iran, all mean that “you will not see a policy change from President Biden or the administration when it comes to standing up to Putin’s aggression as a result of this,” an official said. 

But the deal does suggest that Putin might be finding it in his own interest to look like he might be willing to negotiate on different issues going forward, a reflection of the damage the Ukraine war has inflicted on his own society. Russia has recently pulled its ships from the Sea of Azov, Russian mercenaries just suffered big losses in Mali, and today, Russian media reported that the country’s largest oil refinery was on fire. Putin might also be seeing that Trump’s path to the White House has gotten dramatically steeper in the past couple of weeks. 

Indeed, Putin’s decision to go ahead with the swap was a blow to Trump. Gershkovich was a Wall Street Journal reporter when he was taken into custody in March 2023, and the Wall Street Journal covered the negotiations in quite some depth today. Reporters Joe Parkinson, Drew Hinshaw, Bojan Pancevski, and Aruna Viswanatha noted that Trump got wind that a deal was coming together and began to insist at his rallies and in interviews that Putin would free Gershkovich only for him.

Putin has proven Trump wrong. 

That did not, however, stop Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance from claiming that Trump deserved credit for the swap despite Trump’s insistence that Gershkovich would be released only after Trump was reelected. For his part, Trump didn’t express any joy at all in the deal, simply claiming that Biden got fleeced and saying “[o]ur ‘negotiators’ are always an embarrassment to us!”  

And from the Department of Poor Timing, MAGA representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina tweeted this morning: “Biden is MIA. Why is no one talking about it?”

At today’s White House announcement, a reporter noted that former president Trump “has said repeatedly that he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange,” and asked President Biden: “What do you say to that?”

“Why didn’t he do it when he was president?” Biden answered.  

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[tomorrowusa]

There is no statute of limitations for being a murderer on behalf of a totalitarian régime.

A member of Communist East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, is finally being brought to justice.

Now, aged 80, the ex-lieutenant in the Stasi has gone on trial accused of shooting dead a Polish man who tried to flee communism 50 years ago. Through his lawyer, he denied the charges of murder in court on Thursday. His name has not been officially confirmed. But according to prosecutors, while working for the Stasi, he allegedly shot Czeslaw Kukuczka in the back as he tried to cross from East Berlin to the West. [ ... ] A group of West German schoolgirls, who were returning from a school trip to East Berlin, say they saw a man in a raincoat and sunglasses shoot him. That man, say prosecutors, was the former Stasi officer on trial in Berlin on Thursday. East German and Polish officials later attempted to cover up the case, not even telling Kukuczka's family what happened. The family received an urn to bury, but never the full story. During the 1990s, after German reunification, there were multiple investigations, but never enough evidence to track down the killer. [ ... ] At least 140 people were killed trying to leave communist East Germany while the Berlin Wall was up. It is rare for those responsible to face justice. Until now, those who have been prosecuted were generally accused of manslaughter, not murder.

Communism was and still is crap though tankies continue to act as apologists for the USSR and its successor the Russian Federation.

People risked their lives and sometimes engaged in foolish schemes so they wouldn't have to spend their lives under Communist totalitarianism.

The prosecution of that Stasi agent should serve as a warning to Putin's own secret police in Russia. The murderers of Alexei Navalny will someday be held to account.

Speaking of Putin, for almost five years he was an officer in the Soviet secret police (KGB) stationed in East Germany which was then a Soviet satellite. After German unification, his old Stasi ID card was discovered.

Putin didn't work for the Stasi but he worked with the Stasi. His ID, with his signature in German, gave him access to Stasi facilities.

[agentfascinateur]

Standing with her, Yulia Navalnaya 💜

It's 2024. People shouldn't have to die for their ideas or for caring about their fellow man, woman and/or child.

[william-r-melich]

Interesting and Hopeful - 02/16/2024

It's been an interesting last 2 days. Donald Trump and his corporation was ordered to pay $355 million in damages in his New York civil trial. He also can't do business in New York for 3 three years. Eric Trump and Don Jr. can't do business in New York for 2 years. Of course, the Trump team is appealing it. The New York Attorney General who brought the case against Trump and his organization, Letitia James, is extremely biased as she had campaigned on the promise to take Trump down. The liberal New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron had it in for Trump from the beginning of the trial. The whole thing is completely ridiculous. Trump didn't do anything wrong. The claim was that he over-valued the worth of Mar-a-Lago, which the judge determined to be worth $18 million, when it's really worth closer to a billion dollars. There were no victims, no complaints from the banks, they got paid back on time and made a lot of money from the interest. This is more banana republic stuff that shouldn't ever happen in our country.

In the Georgia Jan 6 trial, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testified yesterday regarding the affair she's been having with her top special prosecutor, Nathan Wade. She was very condescending. This is another ridiculous situation, obviously. She paid him $650,000 and went on lavish vacations with him who supposedly paid her his part of the expenses with cash. Nathan Wade's father testified that, that is what black people do, hide and stash away cash in the house, like six months' worth. That's really strange to me and sounds a bit racist. This case should be thrown out. In fact, I think all the cases against Trump are political witch hunts as Trump calls them, and they should all be thrown out. It's gotten beyond ridiculous, in my opinion.

In a Russian prison north of the Arctic circle, an outspoken political prisoner died, Alexei Navalny. Many believe that since he was relatively young, 40's, and in good health, that he was probably murdered. Although his cause of death hasn't been officially determined.

A lot of interesting stuff going on, it's an exciting time to be alive. I just hope our country can survive until this November and that Trump gets back into office. I believe that will happen.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Marc Elias' Weekend Reading List

Every Saturday, Marc sends members a weekend reading list with overlooked stories and headlines. Democracy Docket members always receive this reading list, as well as Marc’s exclusive analysis on the latest voting and democracy news of the day, invites to members-only live events and more.

Become a member todayand stand with Marc in fighting back against Trump 2.0.

I have always viewed this Saturday newsletter as an opportunity to bring you a little bit further into my world. To peer under the hood of how I think by letting you know what I am reading and what I think others are too often overlooking.

Last week, for example, while all attention was on Donald Trump and Elon Musk, I suggested you read about how Brad Raffensperger is quietly asking the federal government for help in creating new ways to suppress voting rights. His transformation from Trump opponent to MAGA vote suppressor tells us a lot about where we are today and what challenges await us in the next election.

From time to time, people write in to ask about my other reading lists — what publications do I read, what independent media do I subscribe to, who are my favorite writers, reporters or influencers? Recently, during a virtual event with members, I was asked what books I have recently read. Rather than take the time to rattle them off and discuss them then, I promised that I would make it the subject of a future newsletter.

So here it is.

These are the five books I have read so far this year. You will notice that they are all nonfiction. I confess, with very rare exceptions, I only read nonfiction. You will also note that several are not new books. My reading habits are shockingly disconnected from the best sellers list or what has recently been released. I tend to find books as a result of finding interest in a new topic. Often, I read an article about a subject and then search for a book that goes deeper in depth.

So, for example, I have bought — but have not yet read — Pascal's Wager: The Man Who Played Dice with God, which was released in 2006. I am fascinated by Pascal’s life and his contribution to our understanding of risk. On that topic, the best book on the development of risk theory is Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk, by Peter Bernstein. It is from 1998, but well worth reading.

In any event, for better or worse, here are the five books I have read so far this year (in the order I read them).

YOUR READING LIST

Patriot: A Memoir

Alexei Navalny

As many of you know, I am a regular consumer of memoirs by political dissidents, particularly those from former Soviet and Russian prisoners. On that score Navalny’s is a great read. It is engaging, moving and at times even entertaining. While it lacks some of the deeper historical and philosophical underpinnings of others who faced the gulag, it is more accessible. I highly recommend it.

The Order of the Day

Eric Vuillard

Though there is some debate about whether this is pure nonfiction or historical fiction, it tells the story of the rise of the Nazis through vignettes intended to show that nothing in history was inevitable. The first, and in my view most compelling, illustrates how the business community fell into place for Hitler. In one passage from the book, the French author notes that “the most dyed-in-the-wool tyrants still vaguely respect due process, as if they want to make it appear that they aren’t abusing procedure, even while riding roughshod over every convention.”

Servants of the Damned: Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice

David Enrich

While focused primarily on one big law firm — Jones Day — David Enrich exposes the rot that underpins much of Big Law today. Every law student should read this as a cautionary tale of the life choices in front of them. Beyond that, it is worth reading to explain, at least in part, the crisis the country and the legal profession face today.

Congress's Constitution: Legislative Authority and the Separation of Powers  

Josh Chafetz

I love the ins and outs of Congress and the U.S. Constitution. If you are like me, Josh Chafetz has written the definitive work and it is worth the time to read.

The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life

Mark Rowlands

I love dogs and I love books about dogs. Some may be surprised that I love the psychology of the relationship between us and dogs, but I don’t care. I loved this book.

That’s all for this week. I think you can guess which one is Bode’s favorite.

Upgrade and unlock exclusive content, like my weekend reading list

For $120/year, upgrade to our premium membership and support Democracy Docket’s 17-person team in keeping you informed on the latest news about voting and elections in the courts. BECOME A MEMBER

We also understand that not everyone is able to make this commitment, which is why our free daily and weekly newsletters aren’t going anywhere! If you prefer not to receive samples of our premium content and only want our free daily and weekly newsletters, you can opt out here. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to our newsletters here.

For questions about your subscription or general support, visit our FAQ page here.

[im4uworld]

Empowering Voices for Justice

Alexei Navalny’s fight for a better Russia was a story of courage, sacrifice, and unyielding hope. From exposing corruption to enduring imprisonment, he symbolized resilience and change. ✊

🌐Over 200 articles and 2000 suggestions to create change where you live! Follow the article link and subscribe for free!

[russianprotesters]

Prison Diaries: An Excerpt from Alexei Navalny’s Memoir, “Patriot” | The New Yorker

...life works in such a way that social progress and a better future can be achieved only if a certain number of people are willing to pay the price for their right to have their own beliefs. The more of them there are, the less everyone has to pay. And the day will come when speaking the truth and advocating for justice will be commonplace and not dangerous in Russia.

I have my country and my convictions. I don’t want to give up my country or betray it. If your convictions mean something, you must be prepared to stand up for them and make sacrifices if necessary.

My convictions are not exotic, sectarian, or radical. On the contrary, everything I believe in is based on science and historical experience.

Those in power should change. The best way to elect leaders is through honest and free elections. Everyone needs a fair legal system. Corruption destroys the state. There should be no censorship.

The future lies in these principles.

[mariacallous]

Since winning power in October 2023, Poland’s current (and former) prime minister, Donald Tusk, and his foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, have visited Paris and Berlin and sought a revival of the Weimar Triangle, a multilateral format once central to reconciling the western and eastern visions of European affairs, largely marginalized over the past decade due to the right-wing Law and Justice party’s antagonistic approach to Germany. And in late January, a trip to Kyiv—of vital symbolic importance—reassured Ukraine that Poland will continue to be its advocate in Europe, a job ever more burdensome given the waning resources and growing war fatigue among other allies.

Cynical observers might conclude that Tusk and Sikorski are simply wining and dining in other countries’ capitals rather than governing their own country. But that is not the case. The diplomatic offensive they have ushered in is, in fact, an integral part of their political mission: They campaigned under the promise of Poland returning to Europe after years of self-initiated conflict with Brussels.

Tusk and Sikorski have even buried the hatchet with Andrzej Duda, Poland’s president, backed by Law and Justice, their archenemy in domestic politics. On the occasion of visiting U.S. President Joe Biden in the White House to rally support for Ukraine (and to seal military deals for Poland along the way), they spoke in harmony.

Duda, a Euroskeptic, commenting on plans for Poland’s 2025 EU Council presidency, even concluded that “just as there is no strong NATO without Europe, there is no strong Europe without the United States and NATO.” Liberal internationalism seems to be spreading through osmosis in Polish politics.

Tusk has also become feisty on social media, bashing U.S. Republicans for withholding aid for Ukraine, with references to former President Ronald Reagan “turning in his grave,” as well as writing a powerful critique of Russian President Vladimir Putin after the death of Alexei Navalny.

A Christmas gift of unlocked EU funds arrived from Brussels in December, previously suspended due the European Commission objecting to Law and Justice’s reforms violating independence of the judiciary and state media, but now made available as a goodwill gesture on behalf of the EU just days after Tusk’s swearing-in. The second coming of Donald Tusk seems almost like a campaign for an unelected leader of Europe.

Except it is not—at least, not in a way in which most European commentators are hoping for it to be. Poland is back, no doubt. After years of self-proclaimed isolationism, when Law and Justice did not see any value even in being present at the continent’s most important negotiating tables, the surge in Warsaw’s international activity is impossible to miss.

Tusk, a figure of authority in European politics due to his tenures at the helm of the European Council and the European People’s Party, is not solely responsible for it, of course. Equally—and in some aspects, even more important is the role of Sikorski, returning to the foreign office just as Tusk comes back to lead the government. Sikorski, a University of Oxford graduate, is well-acquainted with Britain’s conservative elite and the high-profile figures in Washington but equally appreciated on the continent for his efforts to expand both EU and NATO influence eastward

He took his previous job as a member of the European Parliament extremely seriously, defying the commonplace perception of the parliament as a political retirement home. Even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he campaigned heavily both for a more sober approach to Russia and a rapid increase in Europe’s defense capabilities—and both these efforts gave him enormous political clout. As a result, Sikorski is now a clear front-runner to become the EU’s first defense commissioner, should this post be eventually established after the June parliamentary elections, as proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

With such a pair of diplomatic heavyweights at the helm, Poland might appear to be a rising power, capable even of shifting the continent’s balance away from populism and authoritarianism and in favor of liberal multilateralism and cooperation, especially in the realm of geopolitics. And despite the fact that there is enormous hunger, both domestically and abroad, for that to happen, Tusk and his team might have neither the resources nor the energy to assume a long-term leading role in Europe.

And if they succeed, it might be different than many now imagine.

After the electoral victory of the liberal and progressive parties last October, when the self-proclaimed democratic opposition defeated Law and Justice after two terms in power, enthusiasm was palpable in Europe. Sandwiched between triumphs of the far-right in Slovakia and the Netherlands, Poland became almost automatically a beacon of hope for the left across the continent.

Defeating a modern-day populist incumbent through direct elections is no small win, and Tusk deserves credit for it, but expecting him to lead a Europe-wide charge of liberals against populists and far-right Euroskeptics is both naive and unrealistic. First, because he will continue to have his hands full at home. Second, because Poland under his leadership will not be the Poland that everybody in Europe remembers from more than a decade ago.

This was already apparent on his first visit to France. Widely criticized in the past for being Germany’s supposed puppets, both Tusk and Sikorski signaled decisively that Poland is ready and happy to talk—but as an equal, not as anyone’s patsy.

At a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Tusk said that while “it would be difficult to find a politician in Europe that would be more pro-Ukrainian than me,” the food security of both Europe and Poland needs to be taken into account. These comments, made with regard to a farmers blockade on the Polish-Ukrainian border and a crisis over the importation of Ukrainian grain to EU, were already a signal that being favorable to Kyiv does not mean bowing to all of its demands.

Similarly, in Berlin, Tusk made rather spiky remarks at a press conference with German officials when he reflected on complacency being a thing to be avoided in relationships—a multilayered comment that many in the room saw as both a criticism of Berlin’s policy toward Russia over recent decades as well as an announcement heralding change in Poland’s approach to Germany.

Weeks earlier, Sikorski touched a similar note by jokingly offering Germans a discount on war reparations (previously demanded by the Law and Justice government) “should they transfer the whole amount by year-end.” It was not so much the mischievous humor but the very fact that he did not dismiss the notion of reparations entirely that made the comment a focal point of his visit.

For the past decade, hunting for arguments to back up financial claims from Germany was the idée fixe of Law and Justice’s diplomacy—to the point to which some civil servants included it in their email signatures. While in opposition, the liberals and progressives many times labeled the idea as absurd and harmful for bilateral relations. Now it is an integral part of the bilateral conversation.

Sikorski’s stature and experience will be pivotal for Poland’s return to multilateral decision-making —and he needs to move fast. Domestically, he started his tenure short of experienced personnel, as Law and Justice purged the civil service and filled it with political loyalists and party members, the latter being forbidden before the party took over power.

It should come as no surprise that he appointed as many as seven deputies, a move that came under fire from the opposition as an unnecessary expansion of administration and political hirings. But a careful examination of the nominations shows that Sikorski is gearing up for battles on many fronts: Among the state secretaries are Marek Prawda, a former ambassador to Germany and head of Polish mission to the EU; Robert Kupiecki, an ex-ambassador to the United States, deputy ambassador to NATO, and deputy defense minister; and Anna Radwan-Rohrenschef, an experienced think-tanker and public policy expert, well-connected in Brussels and Paris.

It’s not all rosy, however, since Duda does not share all of the foreign-policy views that Tusk and Sikorski are trying to impose. Although legally, according to a 2009 ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal, it is the prime minister who decides the country’s foreign strategy, it still needs to be agreed on with the president. And Duda is, after all, a conservative politician, who famously refused to congratulate Biden on his electoral victory in November 2020. In the event of former President Donald Trump winning another term, more disagreements on the U.S. front will arise, as Tusk and Sikorski are clearly siding with Biden while Duda actively praises Trump for good, especially economic, relations during his first term.

Sikorski himself takes on the issues of rallying support for Ukraine—where he is remembered for his involvement in attempted peace talks after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea—as well as trying to control bilateral relations with the United States. Heavy criticism of Trump will not earn him many favors should the former president return to the White House, but Sikorski will not be entirely isolated. Good trade relations between Washington and Warsaw will help, even in the event of a Republican administration in 2025.

The biggest challenge, however, lies at home. Tusk’s government enjoys a stable majority in the parliament but needs to cohabit with a hostile Duda. Backed by Law and Justice, he will remain in office until mid-2025, and he is likely to try to influence Sikorski’s strategy. Duda and Tusk have already clashed multiple times over the new government’s attempts to restore the rule of law and remove the public broadcasters from political control, with the president even accusing the prime minister of creating the “first political prisoners” since the 1989 democratic transition. An already-strained relationship will be echoed in Poland’s diplomatic endeavors, as Duda is unlikely to back down.

In January 2025, Warsaw assumes the presidency of the European Union—and Law and Justice had passed a bill that compels the government to agree its priorities with the sitting president. On the basis of that, Duda already announced the pillars of Polish EU leadership, wanting to focus on relations with the United States, the proposed accession of Moldova and Ukraine, and Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction and energy transition. On paper, these do not appear too hard to swallow for Tusk, but it remains to be seen how the government will implement them and who will be the face of the EU presidency.

Duda will claim the right to represent Poland as head of state, but Tusk has a history of clashing with Law and Justice presidents; he was repeatedly challenged by the late President Lech Kaczynski over EU summit participation during his first tenure as prime minister. Tusk might have a stronger hand this time, which is also due to an instrumental role of Piotr Serafin, his former chief of staff during the European Council days, now Poland’s acting permanent representative to the EU. With Tusk’s man in Brussels, he will be more ambitious both at home and abroad.

On the other hand, Duda is also responsible for approving the government’s choices for ambassadorships. Back in January, he was expected to agree on the vast majority of replacements proposed by the foreign office, but now the presidential palace is objecting to the government’s plans. Sikorski wanted a swift and sizable turnaround, proposing to replace some 50 ambassadors in a very short time span—and Duda objected.

An unofficial stalemate continues, to the point that the presidency has reportedly threatened to block a potential nomination for Sikorski to become an EU commissioner if he does not bow to pressure. The Foreign Ministry plans to respond by recalling ambassadors and sending new chargés d’affaires in their place, a provisional solution at best. It could result in a severely polarized diplomatic corps, on the one side faithful to Law and Justice, on the other heavily pro-European.

Right now  there is certainly a lot of will in Warsaw to transform Poland’s role in Europe—but there might not be a way. Domestic struggles will consume time and energy, possibly at the expense of international aspirations.

Last year, during the Warsaw Security Forum, an annual geopolitical gathering, a senior foreign diplomat noted that Poland has become Europe’s center of attention, but not yet the center of its gravity. Tusk and Sikorski will want to change that.