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Russian Blogger Faces Extremism Charges

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June 23, 2009

Prosecutors in Russia's central Samara Oblast have charged a local blogger with fomenting extremism, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Dmitry Kirilin, 29, is accused of posting materials critical of former President and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on his blog.

Prosecutors have described the materials as incitement to extremist action.

Kirilin admitted to journalists that he had posted critical materials about Putin on his Livejournal blog and other Internet forums in 2006, but denied the extremism charges.

He faces up to three years in prison if convicted.

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by: Alexandr

June 24, 2009 09:16

Kirilin's livejournal blog can be found here:

Looking through the 2006 archives, the "extremist" posts in question are probably this one from August 2006:

http://new-m0ray.livejournal.com/9009.html (Russian)

In which he accuses the government of being overly militaristic and turning a blind eye to the problem of drug lords, as well as the weak Russian response to the Israel invasion of Lebanon. He goes out of his way to say that he has nothing against Jews, or Americans for that matter, that they are "basically good" people. Says he wants peace and kindness towards all, but he cannot just sit idly by and watch events without speaking up.

And this one, from October:

http://new-m0ray.livejournal.com/10729.html (Russian)

"I am very angry at the government..." accuses them of being "fascists" who discriminate based on "religious and sexual orientation" and complains that there is "not one word of protest in the media." He also says that he hopes the government can be changed peacefully but that they might only understand a "fist."

And this:

http://new-m0ray.livejournal.com/10945.html (Russian)

A self-described "manifesto" of his criticism of the current Russian regime, none of which seem very "extremist"...

To me it appears this government prosecution is basically a load of B.S. aimed at silencing a Muslim critic of Putin's regime. And these posts are the exception -- mostly the blog consists of poetry, song lyrics, silly ramblings about daily life, etc. This is not a dangerous man or an extremist.