Facebook blocks Russian page supporting Navalny

In a sign of new limits on Facebook’s ability to serve as a platform for political opposition movements, Russian users appear to have been blocked from accessing a page calling for a protest in support of a prominent dissident. Russian Internet regulators said Saturday that they had sent Facebook a “demand” that it block access to a page calling for a demonstration in support of Alexei Navalny, the most prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The page was set up on Friday after prosecutors recommended that Navalny be sent to prison for 10 years in a criminal case that critics have said is purely politically motivated. Within hours, the page drew thousands of people who said they were planning to attend, and as of Saturday evening, the number stood at more than 12,300. But it was no longer visible to users inside Russia. “This content is currently unavailable,” the Web site told users who tried to access it from inside the country. A Facebook spokeswoman said the company was investigating the matter.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/facebook-blocks-russian-page-supporting-navalny-putins-biggest-critic/2014/12/20/a8c782b8-8877-11e4-abcf-5a3d7b3b20b8_story.html

Nephew of ex-president of Kyrgyzstan released from prison

Sanjar Bakiev, the nephew of the former president of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiev, has completed his prison term after being convicted of organizing mass riots, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday, citing the Kyrgyz penal service. Sanjar Bakiev was sentenced in November 2010 to 10 years’ imprisonment for organizing riots by groups loyal to President Bakiev in the southern city of Jalal-Abad in May 2010. Former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev © RIA Novosti Former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev A raid of his apartment revealed a large inventory of firearms, special equipment, ammunition, computers and portable radio sets. Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Court later cut his prison term to five years and a fine of 75,000 som (about $1,800). Kurmanbek Bakiev fled the country amid antigovernment protests in April 2010. He was sentenced in absentia to life in prison in Kyrgyzstan for his role in the uprising, which left almost 100 people dead.

http://www.rapsinews.com/judicial_news/20141120/272618412.html

Russian Ex-Oligarch: Businessmen Are Serfs in Russia

A former close associate of Vladimir Putin has said Russian businessmen were all now “serfs” who belonged to the president, with none of the country’s companies beyond his reach. Sergei Pugachev, who was once so close to Mr Putin that he was known as the “Kremlin’s banker”, made the comments in his first interview since the state seized his multibillion-dollar ship building empire in 2012. Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Pugachev warned that there were no longer any “untouchables” in a Russian business landscape increasingly dominated by Mr Putin. The Russian economy, he argued, had been transformed into a feudal system where businessmen were only nominal owners of their assets. “Today in Russia there is no private property. There are only serfs who belong to Putin,” he said.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ab541ee8-4e4c-11e4-bfda-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FemCqhxH

Russian Constitutional Court Head Slams Liberalism and Homosexuality, Praises Serfdom

Russian Constitutional Court Chairman Valery Zorkin, speaking at an intenational congress in Seoul, called liberalism one of the major problems of the modern world. Accrding to Zorkin, liberalism impede development of people and countries and promotes “aggressive struggle of sexual minorities for equal self-realization opportunities within the frames of the permissiveness ideology”. Days earlier Zorkin published an article in Rossiyskaya gazeta in which he characterized the serfdom as a “staple” of the Russian nation, suggesting that its abolishing in 1861 may have been a mistake. "Despite all its drawbacks, serfdom was the brace holding together the nation's internal unity," Zorkin wrote. "It was no accident that, according to historians, the peasants told their former masters after the reform: 'We were yours and you were ours.'"

http://www.ng.ru/politics/2014-10-02/3_zorkin.html
http://www.rg.ru/2014/09/26/zorkin.html
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-10-02/putin-brings-back-serfdom
http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-judge-praises-serfdom/26616056.html

Russia Shuts Down Four McDonald's in Moscow

Russia's main consumer watchdog has temporarily shut four McDonald's restaurants in Moscow as part of an investigation into food standards. Watchdog Rospotrebnadzor claimed the restaurants had breached "numerous" sanitary laws. McDonald's said it was looking at the complaints, adding its "top priority is to provide safe and quality products". The closures come amid rising tensions between Russia and the West over the crisis in the Ukraine. Previously when diplomatic tensions are high, the regulator has controversially banned products including wine from Georgia, cheese from Ukraine and apples from Poland,. Earlier this month, Russia imposed a "full embargo" on food imports from the EU, US and some other Western countries, in response to sanctions over Ukraine. Wednesday's action by the regulator is part of an ongoing investigation into McDonald's food standards in Russia.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28867784

Protesters Plant Ukraine Flag on Moscow Skyscraper

Protesters have scaled one of Moscow's famed Stalin-era skyscrapers and painted the Soviet star on its spire in the national colors of Ukraine. They also attached a yellow and blue Ukrainian flag to the top of the 176-meter (580-foot) building early Wednesday. Russian authorities were not amused by the prank in support of Ukraine, where government troops are battling pro-Russian separatists. Police said they have detained four suspects and charged them with vandalism, a crime punishable with up to three years in prison. The LifeNews media site posted a video it says shows one of the protesters parachuting off of the building and landing in an inner courtyard. Russian news agencies, citing police, said the four suspects had climbing equipment with them when they were detained.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/protesters-plant-ukraine-flag-moscow-skyscraper-25048576
http://www.echo.msk.ru/blog/day_photo/1383440-echo/

More Bolotnaya Activists Jailed in Russia

A Moscow judge has sentenced three Russians to prison over violence at a 2012 protest in Moscow against President Vladimir Putin. The court on August 18 ordered Ilya Gushchin jailed for two and a half years and Alexander Margolin and Alexei Gaskarov to three and a half years each on charges of rioting. A fourth defendant, Yelena Kokhtareva, received a suspended sentence. The four were the latest in a series of Russian activists tried over violence at a protest on the eve of Putin's May 2012 inauguration. Prominent opposition activist Sergei Udaltsov was sentenced in July to four and a half years. Kremlin opponents say the trials in the "Bolotnaya Case" are part of a campaign to stifle dissent. They contend that protesters were provoked and that the state's claims of violence are exaggerated.

http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-bolotnaya-protest-prison/26536611.html

Ousted Kyrgyz President Bakiev Sentenced To Life

Former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev has been sentenced to life in prison in absentia for involvement in the 2010 killing of protesters during the uprising that ousted him. The Bishkek Military Court also sentenced Bakiev's brother, Janysh Bakiev, who was the head of the presidential guard, and former Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov to life in prison in absentia on July 25. Another 25 defendants in the case, including several of Bakiev's relatives and associates, were sentenced to prison terms ranging between six and 25 years. The defendants were found guilty of either having fired upon or given the command to open fire on protesters in Bishkek during antigovernment protests in April 2010 that led to Bakiev's ouster. Nearly 100 people were killed and some 400 wounded in the clashes in central Bishkek. The trial started in 2011. Bakiev is living in Belarus with several family members.

http://www.rferl.org/content/bakiev-april-2010-sentence-trial-court-bishkek/25469819.html

Russia Jails Two Opposition Activists

A Russian court on Thursday jailed a radical opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov to four and a half years for organising "mass riots" ahead of Vladimir Putin's inauguration as president in 2012. Judge Alexander Zamashnyuk sentenced both Udaltsov and his political ally Leonid Razvozzhayev to four and a half years in a corrective labour camp for organising a rally against Putin and plotting further unrest. The judge said the men had organised "mass riots accompanied by violence against the authorities and damage to property." Udaltsov, the shaven leader of a banned radical leftist group, rose to prominence as part of the protest movement against Putin's return to the Kremlin for a third term. He responded to the verdict by declaring a hunger strike, his lawyer said after the verdict.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/24544778/russia-jails-radical-putin-foe-udaltsov-for-4-5-years/

Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia Establish Eurasian Union

With the milestone agreement to create a Eurasian economic union clinched in Kazakhstan on Thursday, Russia put cheap energy resources at the head of its drive to pull former Soviet states away from European integration and into its orbit. The Eurasian Economic Union agreement, signed by the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in the Kazakh capital of Astana, will come into force on Jan. 1, 2015. It anticipates the gradual integration of the three former Soviet countries' economies, establishing free trade, unbarred financial interaction and unhindered labor migration. The pact combines the previous agreements reached between the three countries under the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space, which were formed in 2010 and 2011, and have been generally considered a success. At the signing ceremony, President Vladimir Putin said "Today we are creating a powerful center of gravity for economic development, a large regional market that unites more than 170 million people," according to an official transcript. He also stressed that the union's combined territory is a hydrocarbon treasury, possessing one-fifth of all global natural gas resources and 15 percent of all oil reserves. Russia's gain in entering the Eurasian union is more political than economic — particularly as Russia is still smarting from the recent failure of its attempts to draw Ukraine into the Customs Union. As for Kazakhstan and Belarus, they are pursuing their own economic interests rather than any dream of forming super-state between Europe and Asia, both their leaders and analysts said.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/for-russia-eurasian-union-is-about-politics-not-economy/501126.html

Pro-Russians Storm Offices in Eastern Ukraine

Pro-Russian protesters have stormed government buildings in three eastern Ukrainian cities. In Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv they clashed with police, hung Russian flags from the buildings and called for a referendum on independence. Ukraine's acting president called an emergency security meeting in response. The unrest comes amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine over the removal of pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych and Russia's annexation of Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow has the right to protect the Russian-speaking population there. Ukraine's leaders deny the country's Russian speakers are under threat and have said they will resist any intervention in their country.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26910210

Opposition Activist Navalny Loses House Arrest Appeal

The Moscow City Court upheld a lower court’s ruling Monday to place anti-corruption crusader and opposition stalwart Alexei Navalny under house arrest, RAPSI reported from the court room. Prosecutors argued that Navalny, charged with embezzlement, should be isolated after he violated a pledge to remain in Moscow as well as having participated in an unsanctioned protest in central Moscow, inciting chaos and resisting arrest. The Basmanny District Court in Moscow granted the motion in late February, putting Navalny under house arrest in connection with the embezzlement case. Under the court order Navalny is prohibited from using communication devices, including the Internet.

http://en.ria.ru/crime/20140324/188712711/Opposition-Activist-Navalny-Loses-House-Arrest-Appeal.html

Russia Blacklists Navalny's Blog

Russia’s telecoms watchdog said on Thursday it blacklisted the LiveJournal blog of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and several other independent websites. The anti-Kremlin activist, who is under house arrest, is forbidden from leaving his residence – an apartment in the Moscow suburbs – and from using the Internet, telephone or any other means of communication with the world outside of his family, lawyers and police investigators until April 28. “The functioning of this page violates a court ruling establishing terms of confinement for a citizen who is under criminal investigation,” telecoms watchdog Roscomnadzor said in a statement. Navalny, who played a leading role in mass street protests against Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the winter of 2011-2012, is under investigation together with his brother Oleg for allegedly embezzling money from cosmetics company Yves Rocher. He is also serving a five-year suspended sentence for an embezzlement conviction in a separate case that he claims was fabricated in retribution for his opposition activities.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140313/188398782/Russia-Puts-Opposition-Leaders-Blog-on-Internet-Blacklist.html

Four Criminal Cases Launched Against Ukraine’s Fugitive Leader

Ukrainian prosecutors have opened more criminal against fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych, including on charges of unconstitutional seizure of power, extremism and money laundering. Acting prosecutor general and member of the nationalist Svoboda party, Oleh Makhnitsky, told reporters on Thursday that Yanukovych is wanted on power abuse and murder charges. Last month, Ukraine requested Interpol to issue Red Notice, or an international wanted persons alert, for Yanukovych as part of that criminal case. “Another criminal case concerns illegal acquisition of state property in especially large quantities… and money laundering,” Makhnitsky said.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140314/188399915/Four-Criminal-Cases-Launched-Against-Ukraines-Fugitive-Leader.html

Russia Blocks Independent News Sites

Russia's Internet monitoring agency Roskomnadzor blocked access to several opposition news sites, including Grani.ru, Kasparov.ru, EJ.ru. Also blocked is the blog of prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny. At least some providers block access to the website of the "Ekho Moskvy" radio station. The editor-in-chief of web newes service Lenta.ru has been fired. The above comprises virtually all independent Russian media remaining by this time. Also blocked are some privite blogs, such as the blog of prominent writer Boris Akunin, who reproduced a post from Navalny's blog.

http://lenta.ru/news/2014/03/13/nomoremedia/

UPDATE: Access to Ekho Moskvy and Akunin's sites is restored after they removed copies of Navalny's post
http://www.echo.msk.ru/blog/aav/1278516-echo/

Yanukovich: I Am Alive

Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych warned on Tuesday that "dark forces" are working to foment civil war in the troubled former Soviet nation. During a short address in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, Yanukovych insisted that he not only remains Ukraine’s president, but that he is also still the head of the armed forces. Yanukovych last month fled the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, leaving a power vacuum quickly filled by opposition groups that had for months been protesting a government decision to back away from a proposed deal to bolster economic and political relations with the European Union. The appearance follows persistent reports in Ukrainian media that Yanukovych had died of unspecified causes, speculation that he sought to stamp out in Tuesday’s statement. “I would like to say that I'm alive,” he said.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140311/188313017/Ousted-Ukraine-Leader-Warns-of-Civil-War-Threat.html

Russian Markets, Ruble Plummet on Ukraine Fears

Russia's markets have dropped about 10 percent and its currency has fallen to its lowest point ever against the dollar and the euro because of the crisis in neighboring Ukraine. Russia intervened over the weekend to take control of Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula with strategic importance, and the new government in Kiev fears a wider invasion. The West responded by questioning Russia's membership in the Group of Eight leading industrialized democracies, and the U.S. threatened possible asset freezes and trade penalties. The Moscow Exchange fell about 10 percent in the first hour of trading Monday, although it later recovered slightly. The ruble, already down nearly 10 percent this year, fell below 50 to the euro for the first time. It was trading below 36.4 to the dollar, also a record.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/russian-markets-ruble-plummet-ukraine-fears-22748179

Thousands Participate in Pro-Putin Rally in Moscow, Hundreds of Anti-War Protesters Arrested

Moscow police Sunday arrested hundreds protesting against military intervention in Ukraine, a rights group said, after President Vladimir Putin won approval from senators to send troops into the crisis-hit country. Ovdinfo, a rights group that tracks arrests at demonstrations, said 352 were detained at two anti-war protests in central Moscow. Police gave a much lower figure of 50 people detained for "attempts to violate public order", the Interfax news agency said. Anti-war protesters gathered near the defence ministry in central Moscow and on Manezhnaya square close to the Kremlin. Demonstrators held up peace signs and posters saying "No to war", while some also held Ukrainian flags and ribbons in the national colours of yellow and light blue. Many people brought to police stations were accused of resisting police orders, which could carry up to 15 days in jail, Ovdinfo said. Dozens were also detained in Saint-Petersburg, after some 500 people staged a protest, an AFP correspondent said. Authorities meanwhile allowed rallies in several cities in support of Putin's policy on intervention, even closing central Moscow boulevards to traffic to allow a march. Moscow police said 20,000 people took part in a pro-war march as television footage showed people walking with Russian flags as well as yellow-and-black nationalist flags and posters with slogans such as "Bravo Putin!" The pro-Kremlin United Russia party posted an invitation to the demonstration on its website, saying Russian speakers were "faced with persecution and violence because they speak Russian and are friendly toward Russia."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Hundreds-detained-in-Russian-anti-war-rallies-Rights-group/articleshow/31291342.cms
http://lenta.ru/articles/2014/03/02/meetings/
http://grani.ru/Society/m.225980.html#media-225979 (video)
http://grani.ru/Politics/Russia/m.225936.html#media-225971 (video)

Yanukovych Condemns Interim Ukraine Govt as Violent Usurpers

Viktor Yanukovych said Friday in his first public address since being ousted as president of Ukraine that he will continue to fight for the future of his country and condemned the interim government in Kiev as violent usurpers. Looking nervous while addressing reporters in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, Yanukovych rejected suggestions that he had been overthrown and insisted that he had been forced to leave the country because of threats made to him and his family. “Power in Ukraine was seized by nationalists, neo-Fascist youths that represent an absolute minority of the people,” he said. Yanukovych was making his first appearance in public since fleeing the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, over the weekend. On Saturday, the erstwhile opposition took control over parliament and together with disaffected deputies from the ex-ruling Party of Regions voted to impeach Yanukovych.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140228/187970645/Yanukovych-Condemns-Interim-Ukraine-Govt-as-Violent-Usurpers.html

Ukraine Asks Russia to Extradite Yanukovych

Ukraine’s chief prosecutor asked Russia to extradite deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Friday, as the fugitive leader prepared in Russia to give his first press conference since his disappearance in Ukraine earlier this week. The statement, posted on the Prosecutor’s Office website, said Ukraine “intends to raise the issue of extradition of Viktor Yanukovych, an internationally wanted citizen of Ukraine, in the event of official confirmation of his stay” in Russia.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140228/187968651/Ukraine-Asks-Russia-to-Extradite-Yanukovych.html