Statement for Sub-Committee on Human Rights of the European Parliament on the situation in Russia

Prof. Dr. Robert van Voren
Postbus 1282
1200 BG Hilversum (NL)
tel.:+31-651534123 / e-mail rvvoren@gmail.org / http://www.robertvanvoren.com
Chamber of Commerce Hilversum, NL No. 53660994 – BTW/VAT No. NL0034521059

Statement for European Parliament
Sub-Committee on Human Rights

April 1, 2014

Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, the former Soviet Union is again daily front-
page news. The rapid sequence of events has led to an atmosphere that is very
reminiscent of the heydays of the Cold War. In Russia itself it has led to a hunt for
“national traitors” and “foreign agents” and observers both inside the country and
abroad fear for a return to full-scale Soviet repression. For the outside world this may
come as a surprise, human rights activists have been ringing the alarm bells already for
quite a few years. Ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin took power, the human
rights situation deteriorated and more and more liberties were curtailed. One of the
warning signs was the return of the use of psychiatry for political purposes to “prevent”
social or political activism or to ostracize an activist from society.

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SHOCK! Russian special services kidnapped a Russian journalist and knocked out all his teeth

Voices of Ukraine

Translated by Marina Grip
Source: http://konung-ogin.livejournal.com/791345.html

Fate is a funny thing… I have just written an article about this friend of mine – an honest Russian journalist, Nikita Perfiliev, who had come to Maidan being neutral to what was happening, but had quickly understood everything and taken the side of the Ukrainian people. Three days ago, we met on Maidan, had some sandwiches and coffee in the Ukrainian House. By the way, the photo with the Cossack saber was made by him.

But now I must completely rewrite the article because yesterday Nikita was kidnapped by some people wearing plain clothes who spoke Russian without a Ukrainian accent (with clear ”a”), taken to their base, beaten all night, had all of his teeth knocked out, stole all of his money and his Russian passport. Well, at least my ears were spared, says Nikita. After that, not so long ago…

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