Democracy European Style

[Sertorio]

EU state launches criminal cases over V-Day celebrations
https://www.rt.com/russia/555441-riga-f ... l-ukraine/

Three criminal cases and 20 administrative ones have been launched against people who laid flowers at the World War II memorial in the Latvian capital, Riga, on May 10, the police said on Friday. A young man who brought Russia's national flag to the monument to Soviet soldiers has been charged with justifying genocide, crimes against humanity, crimes against peace and war crimes.

In video clips uploaded online, he was filmed addressing the crowd on the importance of remembering and celebrating the legacy of those who gave their lives in the battle against the Nazis, and urging the people not to be afraid to voice their stance. Alexander Stefanov's mother confirmed to news agency Sputnik that her son had been detained. She also said that Latvian law enforcement officers had arrived to search her home. The charges Stefanov faces could carry up to 15 years behind bars, according to the Baltic nation's laws. Several other people who came to the monument have been accused of resisting the police.

The Latvian authorities have declared May 9 – when Russia celebrates its Second World War victory over the Nazis – a day of mourning for those who died or were wounded during Moscow's military offensive in Ukraine.

The officials urged the public to refrain from gatherings near Soviet memorials and warned that attempts to display any Russian symbols would be swiftly curbed as glorification of aggression, and could lead to criminal and administrative liability.

Latvia had been a part of the USSR since 1940 and gained its independence in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet empire. The country's current government considers this a period of "Russian occupation."

However, numerous people still came to the monument to Soviet soldiers who liberated Riga from Nazis on May 9, laying thousands of flowers at its foot. But the next morning, the flowers were disposed-of using a bulldozer, which shocked and angered many in Latvia, a country with a quarter of predominantly Russian-speaking population.

So, the people returned to the memorial with even more flowers on May 10, eventually prompting the authorities to erect a fence around it.

So, this is what the EU proposes to replace Russia's authoritarianism. Jailing people for laying flowers in the monument to those who liberated Latvia from Nazi Germany. May we presume that Latvians resent having been freed from Hitler? If these are the values Europeans promote, and if theses actions are Europe's answer to Russia's authoritarianism, then one may wonder whether one wouldn't be a lot better with Russia's values...

[Milo]

You keep insisting you can’t access rt, in between posting dozens of articles from it.

[Sertorio]

You keep insisting you can’t access rt, in between posting dozens of articles from it.

You are more interested on my being able to access RT then on whatever they have to report...But why would you be interested on information and on a different source of information? After all you have access to all the NATO propaganda you need...

[Milo]

You keep insisting you can’t access rt, in between posting dozens of articles from it.

You are more interested on my being able to access RT then on whatever they have to report...But why would you be interested on information and on a different source of information? After all you have access to all the NATO propaganda you need...

I am interested in your deception.

[Sertorio]

You keep insisting you can’t access rt, in between posting dozens of articles from it.

You are more interested on my being able to access RT then on whatever they have to report...But why would you be interested on information and on a different source of information? After all you have access to all the NATO propaganda you need...

I am interested in your deception.

Not deception. I have to go around the blockage in order to access RT. It's not easy.

[Milo]

You keep insisting you can’t access rt, in between posting dozens of articles from it.

You are more interested on my being able to access RT then on whatever they have to report...But why would you be interested on information and on a different source of information? After all you have access to all the NATO propaganda you need...

I am interested in your deception.

Not deception. I have to go around the blockage in order to access RT. It's not easy.

Really? How do you do it?

[neverfail]

I cannot blame the Latvian authorities for prosecuting these provocative individuals (undoubtedly ethnic Russians) for what amounts to an insult to Latvia's identity.

It is the sort of provocation that turd Putin would routinely organize against the Baltics from this side of the border.

[SteveFoerster]

I cannot blame the Latvian authorities for prosecuting these provocative individuals (undoubtedly ethnic Russians) for what amounts to an insult to Latvia's identity.

Well, you should. Justifying Latvia's blatant human rights violations only undermines the argument for opposing Russia's human rights violations.

It is the sort of provocation that turd Putin would routinely organize against the Baltics from this side of the border.

Even if that were true -- and there's no evidence for it whatsoever -- it still wouldn't justify denying ethnic Russians in Latvia their freedom of expression.

[cassowary]

I cannot blame the Latvian authorities for prosecuting these provocative individuals (undoubtedly ethnic Russians) for what amounts to an insult to Latvia's identity.

Well, you should. Justifying Latvia's blatant human rights violations only undermines the argument for opposing Russia's human rights violations.

It is the sort of provocation that turd Putin would routinely organize against the Baltics from this side of the border.

Even if that were true -- and there's no evidence for it whatsoever -- it still wouldn't justify denying ethnic Russians in Latvia their freedom of expression.

The Soviets replaced Hitler’s dictatorship with Communist dictatorship. Celebrating May9 is thus also celebrating 40 years of Communist dictatorship.

Instead of getting bulldozers in and threatening arrests, they should hold a counter demonstration equating May 9 to forty years of Communist dictatorship. May 9 shall be day of mourning.

[cassowary]

You keep insisting you can’t access rt, in between posting dozens of articles from it.

You are more interested on my being able to access RT then on whatever they have to report...But why would you be interested on information and on a different source of information? After all you have access to all the NATO propaganda you need...

I am interested in your deception.

Not deception. I have to go around the blockage in order to access RT. It's not easy.

I have no problem assessing RT.

https://www.rt.com/

See if you are blocked.