Sverdlovsk Ombudswoman, Freedom of speech and Nikiforov's case
Recently, the international community was alerted about the next triumph Sverdlovsk Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Merzlyakova the third time elected to the Board of the European Ombudswoman. This, in particular, was written in "Chronicle of the Moscow Helsinki Group» № 9 / 2009. As pointed the athour of this article Victor Vakhrushev, Tatiana Georgievna - the only regional Ombudswomen of Russia, awarded with the honor.
The broader international recognition of merits of Merzlyakova and her patron, governer Eduard Rossel is seen in other facts. It is Yekaterinburg, the only place in Russia, were the National Institute for Human Rights is deployed, this Institute is famous in the whole world by a unique edition of the Philosophical Dictionary of Human Rights. Incidentally, TG Merzljakov - is the only one of the Ombudsmen of the planet Earth, whose work is memorated in special article of "Philosophical Dictionary".
In general, Ekaterinburg - is a human rights capital if not of the whole world, then in any case, of Russia. However, the residents of the Sverdlovsk region raises many questions of the local activities of the Ombudsman. Many of this questions were published in the Chronicle, but remained unanswered. Tatiana Georgiyevna, apparently, is very busy.
It is interesting to compare the public statements of Merzlyakova with real life. There are like two parallel worlds, which almost never come into contact. Virtual world, in which they live - Rossel, Merzlyakova, Vakhrushev, etc. And the real one, where we dwell, common people.
Here are two excerpts from recent reports of news agencies. "The Human Rights Ombudswoman of Sverdlovsk region Tatiana Merzlyakova hoped that the new regional governor Alexander Misharin preserve the achievements of Rossel in the field of freedom of speech and human rights. As noted on November 11 Merzlyakova at press conference, under Rossel's rule in the region was a genuine freedom of speech ... "(IA REGNUM, 11.11.2009).
In the real world, freedom of speech looks like this. "... In January 2009, in Ekaterinburg during the meeting there was a conflict between head of road police (UGIBDD) Yuri Demin and photographer for one of the News Agencies Yuri Basok. The journalist made a shot of Demin's car, parked in violation of the rules at a pedestrian crossing. In response, Colonel Demin struck the photographer, and damaged the camera. Chief of UGIBDD Demin was accused of "abuse of power". Terms of investigation constantly renewed. Yuri Demin himself does not consider himself guilty and said that the photographer has provoked him"(UralPolit.Ru 12.11.2009.).
But, by the way, another quote. At this time - a sentence in the case of journalist Alexey Nikiforov, convicted in Yekaterinburg 14.09.2009 for 1 year of imprisonement.
"Nikiforov A.V. ... made paint inscriptions on the concrete fence ... "Lavrov, go away!NBP", ... "No China's expansion. National Bolshevik Party", "Islands belong to us. NBP", and performed the hammer and sickle, surrounded by a circle .... Nikiforov AV ... Came to the door of the office of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the All-Russia Political Party "United Russia" ... and, opening the doors ... and gave the guard office envelope with completed her inscription "V.V. Putin, in which the leaflet was an appeal to the V.V. Putin, the text of which is composed on behalf of the regional public organization "National Bolshevik Party. Nikiforov A.V. ... Stored and transported propaganda printed materials under the editorship of the National Bolsheviks in the form of newspapers "Workers' Struggle. Bulletin of the working resistance. Information Sheet National Bolsheviks ", published in December 2008, the number of 495 pieces, brochures E. Limonov "To my supporters" in the number of 17 pieces ...
The objective of the offense ... has resulted in immediate transfer of leaflets ... to the office of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the All-Russia political party "United Russia", placing a banner, streamers, "Enough of Putin" in front, which placed public reception of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the All-Russia political party "United Russia" , i.e. for public inspection, in drawing graffiti on fences in Zarechny, Sverdlovsk region, i.e. for public inspection, as well as storage and transport of printed campaign materials, edited by members of the regional public organization "National Bolshevik Party."
A fine freedom of speech! You can not publicly criticize the government. You can not store and transport opposition newsapers and leaflets. However, while it the law prosecutes only members of the former NBP. But as they say, step is the hardest. Tomorrow label "extremist oraganization" will be put on "Solidarity" movement, the Communist Party, on anyone, and the members of other parties will become the same "enemies of the people."
However, freedom of speech in the Sverdlovsk region is manifested not only in police and court battle. Our Ombudswoman boldly rejects all sorts of annoying, from her point of view, limiting the right of officials to use official position to praise the ruling party.
The law "On political parties" (paragraph 3 of Article 10) states: "Persons, replacing the state or municipal offices, and individuals in state or municipal service may not take advantage of their official position or status in the interest of a political party to which they are, or for any other political party. "
Tatiana Georgievna with her personal example shows how civil servant should treat such restrictions on freedom of speech. Here's what is said in her interview in regional newspaper "Oblastnaya Gazetta" from 20.07.2006:
"United Russia" in the Urals is a party that relies on the working man. This is the only party that does not hesitate to pronounce the word "we Russians" and "we are having a great Russia's history. It is not hidden behind the names of "liberals","conservatives","democrats","socialists". This party is "United Russia" party.
It is the party that does not suffer from populism. ... I as the Commissioner for Human Rights know all... "United Russia" offers no fish, but bait. Why the opposition does not even think about how huge the thing was done - the budget allocated funds to provide free meals younger pupils and children from non-affluent families to the end of their training?".
That's the way Tatiana Merzlyakova understands the freedom of speech, a recognized leader among regional Ombudswomen of Russia, in old Soviet times - the editor of the regional newspaper "Pravda communisma" ("Truth of Commucnism"). It seems that for her all these "perestroika and glasnost" are confined to the fact that now, instead of the Communist Partu of the Soviet Union yiu have to say "United Russia".
Alexander Livchak
livchak
Chronicles of Moscow Helsinki Group, 2009, November
www.mhg.ru/files/009/n11.doc
The broader international recognition of merits of Merzlyakova and her patron, governer Eduard Rossel is seen in other facts. It is Yekaterinburg, the only place in Russia, were the National Institute for Human Rights is deployed, this Institute is famous in the whole world by a unique edition of the Philosophical Dictionary of Human Rights. Incidentally, TG Merzljakov - is the only one of the Ombudsmen of the planet Earth, whose work is memorated in special article of "Philosophical Dictionary".
In general, Ekaterinburg - is a human rights capital if not of the whole world, then in any case, of Russia. However, the residents of the Sverdlovsk region raises many questions of the local activities of the Ombudsman. Many of this questions were published in the Chronicle, but remained unanswered. Tatiana Georgiyevna, apparently, is very busy.
It is interesting to compare the public statements of Merzlyakova with real life. There are like two parallel worlds, which almost never come into contact. Virtual world, in which they live - Rossel, Merzlyakova, Vakhrushev, etc. And the real one, where we dwell, common people.
Here are two excerpts from recent reports of news agencies. "The Human Rights Ombudswoman of Sverdlovsk region Tatiana Merzlyakova hoped that the new regional governor Alexander Misharin preserve the achievements of Rossel in the field of freedom of speech and human rights. As noted on November 11 Merzlyakova at press conference, under Rossel's rule in the region was a genuine freedom of speech ... "(IA REGNUM, 11.11.2009).
In the real world, freedom of speech looks like this. "... In January 2009, in Ekaterinburg during the meeting there was a conflict between head of road police (UGIBDD) Yuri Demin and photographer for one of the News Agencies Yuri Basok. The journalist made a shot of Demin's car, parked in violation of the rules at a pedestrian crossing. In response, Colonel Demin struck the photographer, and damaged the camera. Chief of UGIBDD Demin was accused of "abuse of power". Terms of investigation constantly renewed. Yuri Demin himself does not consider himself guilty and said that the photographer has provoked him"(UralPolit.Ru 12.11.2009.).
But, by the way, another quote. At this time - a sentence in the case of journalist Alexey Nikiforov, convicted in Yekaterinburg 14.09.2009 for 1 year of imprisonement.
"Nikiforov A.V. ... made paint inscriptions on the concrete fence ... "Lavrov, go away!NBP", ... "No China's expansion. National Bolshevik Party", "Islands belong to us. NBP", and performed the hammer and sickle, surrounded by a circle .... Nikiforov AV ... Came to the door of the office of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the All-Russia Political Party "United Russia" ... and, opening the doors ... and gave the guard office envelope with completed her inscription "V.V. Putin, in which the leaflet was an appeal to the V.V. Putin, the text of which is composed on behalf of the regional public organization "National Bolshevik Party. Nikiforov A.V. ... Stored and transported propaganda printed materials under the editorship of the National Bolsheviks in the form of newspapers "Workers' Struggle. Bulletin of the working resistance. Information Sheet National Bolsheviks ", published in December 2008, the number of 495 pieces, brochures E. Limonov "To my supporters" in the number of 17 pieces ...
The objective of the offense ... has resulted in immediate transfer of leaflets ... to the office of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the All-Russia political party "United Russia", placing a banner, streamers, "Enough of Putin" in front, which placed public reception of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the All-Russia political party "United Russia" , i.e. for public inspection, in drawing graffiti on fences in Zarechny, Sverdlovsk region, i.e. for public inspection, as well as storage and transport of printed campaign materials, edited by members of the regional public organization "National Bolshevik Party."
A fine freedom of speech! You can not publicly criticize the government. You can not store and transport opposition newsapers and leaflets. However, while it the law prosecutes only members of the former NBP. But as they say, step is the hardest. Tomorrow label "extremist oraganization" will be put on "Solidarity" movement, the Communist Party, on anyone, and the members of other parties will become the same "enemies of the people."
However, freedom of speech in the Sverdlovsk region is manifested not only in police and court battle. Our Ombudswoman boldly rejects all sorts of annoying, from her point of view, limiting the right of officials to use official position to praise the ruling party.
The law "On political parties" (paragraph 3 of Article 10) states: "Persons, replacing the state or municipal offices, and individuals in state or municipal service may not take advantage of their official position or status in the interest of a political party to which they are, or for any other political party. "
Tatiana Georgievna with her personal example shows how civil servant should treat such restrictions on freedom of speech. Here's what is said in her interview in regional newspaper "Oblastnaya Gazetta" from 20.07.2006:
"United Russia" in the Urals is a party that relies on the working man. This is the only party that does not hesitate to pronounce the word "we Russians" and "we are having a great Russia's history. It is not hidden behind the names of "liberals","conservatives","democrats","socialists". This party is "United Russia" party.
It is the party that does not suffer from populism. ... I as the Commissioner for Human Rights know all... "United Russia" offers no fish, but bait. Why the opposition does not even think about how huge the thing was done - the budget allocated funds to provide free meals younger pupils and children from non-affluent families to the end of their training?".
That's the way Tatiana Merzlyakova understands the freedom of speech, a recognized leader among regional Ombudswomen of Russia, in old Soviet times - the editor of the regional newspaper "Pravda communisma" ("Truth of Commucnism"). It seems that for her all these "perestroika and glasnost" are confined to the fact that now, instead of the Communist Partu of the Soviet Union yiu have to say "United Russia".
Alexander Livchak
livchak
Chronicles of Moscow Helsinki Group, 2009, November
www.mhg.ru/files/009/n11.doc