Human Rights Lawyer, Journalist Executed in Moscow

Markelov was clearly the victim of a contract killing. He was representing the family of Elza Kungayeva, 18, a Chechen woman who was allegedly raped then strangled to death by Colonel Yuri Budanov in 2000.

I read about this case in one of Anna Politovskaya’s books. Everything I read about it smacks of the Russian authorities prosecuting Budanov only reluctantly, with the man himself smirking throughout. I find it telling that when most outsiders hear of the story, they roll their eyes and say this is only to be expected in Russia. Deservd or not, Russia has a serious image problem.

Tim – it’s entirely deserved.

Global Voices (Veronica Khokhlova) has a fairly good selection of comments from Russian blogs, etc:

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/01/20/russia-lawyer-markelov-and-journalist-baburova-shot-dead-in-moscow/

As a several noted, Markelov, besides working against Budanov’s release, also represented many other people–including Mikhail Beketov, the journalist and environmental activist who barely survived a vicious attack a couple of months ago (Beketov was in a coma for a while, but I don’t know his present status.)

President Medvedev has created an great social media platform with his video blog, which now has comments. (http://blog.kremlin.ru)

I would like to see him use that platform to its fullest potential and this incident would be the perfect opportunity to start.

Budanov was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2005, but was paroled after serving three for “good behavior.”

For the record. Budanov was arrested in March 2000 and spent behind bars almost 9 (nine) years. That’s why he got the right to apply for parole.

Markelov called his release “illegal” and fought to keep the defrocked colonel behind bars. Budanov walked nevertheless.

This was very cheap PR of Markelov. By the law he has no grounds to appeal as parole is the case only between Budanov and prosecution office. Unless “lawyer” didn’t know the law…

He – I mean Markelov – more known for his TV performance as self-appointed “human rights defender”.

Now he has his revenge.

Bullshit (just personal opinion).

Timothy Post wrote:

“President Medvedev has created an great social media platform with his video blog, which now has comments. (http://blog.kremlin.ru)”

I have not checked since this happened, but in the case of the Altai helicopter poachers (Altaigate) I did read (elsewhere) that there were many comments urging Medvedev to investigate and prosecute those responsible, even if highly placed.

On its face this reflects positively on Medvedev’s openness. I wonder how Medvedev’s office thought of handling such comments. Would be they be followed-up? Would they be ignored? Would the comment section stay up? Time will tell.

I feel bad that relatively little is being said about Anastasia Baburova. She was not prominent and probably not an intended target, but (from what I have read) it was her instinctively brave reaction that sealed her fate.

many comments urging Medvedev to investigate and prosecute those responsible, even if highly placed.

I assume this is NOT the job Medvedev is supposed to do.
And this is one of the great problems of Russia – the mentality, belief in “tzar” who fixes everything, who takes care of everyone etc.

Why the F*** does Medvedev or Putin have to deal with the crash? There are government agencies to deal with such cases – investigators, judges etc.

PS. But this is a topic about unknown (when he was alive) pravozashitnik Markelov. Whose “value” as dead is growing as a pile of shit.

http://file-028.livejournal.com/

Journal Baburovoi.

Looks like everyone is watching the soap opera “Gimme keys!” …

Now he has his revenge.

Bullshit (just personal opinion).

So, it was just a strange coincidence that Markelov was murdered? Perhaps it was a mugging gone bad, or it was a fate he deserved for being a terrible person (as your opinions seem to suggest.)

Maybe you’ll seek to blame this on a 3rd party, some unseen hand in the entire affair. That is always convenient and doesn’t require evidence.

You should just be a man and admit that Markelov did not deserve to be murdered (despite your apparently foul opinions of him) and that his continued involvement with the Budanov case was one likely reason for his murder.

Why you would constantly seek to excuse such terrible deeds within Russia is completely strange.

I assume this is NOT the job Medvedev is supposed to do.
And this is one of the great problems of Russia – the mentality, belief in “tzar” who fixes everything, who takes care of everyone etc.

Why the F*** does Medvedev or Putin have to deal with the crash?

The accident does speak to the issues of corruption, which Medvedev has pledged to fight within Russia.

Leaders are occasionally expected to lead. Nobody expects Medvedev (or Putin) to be directly involved with murder or corruption investigations – but shouldn’t they be at least as outspoken and involved with such things as contracts between companies to deliver gas … or reviewing building plans for the Olympics?

Ivanov, I agree with Wally.

Perhaps in a normal country citizens may not feel compelled to urge the president that a crime committed by high level apparatchiks should be fully investigated. Considering Russia’s track record, though, it’s only natural for concerned citizens not to have much faith that there will a full investigation unless the President/PM makes it very clear that this is what he wants.

And like Wally, I’m also bothered that your first reaction with respect to Markelov’s murder was to criticize Markelov himself. Which reminds me of how you reacted when people where talking about Politkovskaya’s murder.

ivanov, I have good news for you:

Когда ты сдохнешь, nobody will give a shit.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

Some words from Obama’s inauguration speech – for those who hope he will be pragmatic and improve U.S. relations with Russia, rather than be idealogical and challenge Russia to become more “democratic.”

I’ve seen little evidence that Obama is going to improve U.S.-Russian relations. While he may be cooperative on some military/security issues (such as ABMs), he is likely to be difficult on Georgia/Ukraine and “human rights” issues within Russia.

Democrats tend to be idealogues, and Obama appears even more so than his most Dems.

Apparently, Markelov was recently representing arrested anti-fascist Alexy Olesinov (“Шкобарь”). This is nasty and dangerous business all by itself.

I believe he took up the Aleksey Olesinov case in November of last year. I also had read he once represented Politkovskaya, although no details were offered on that reference.

Somehow, I’m expecting certain voices on the forum to use these associations against him, somehow suggesting Markelov has only himself to blame.

‘Это хладнокровное и циничное убийство. По сути- вызов обществу. Станислав Маркелов зарекомендовал себя как честный и порядочный человек, человек и патриот с принципиальной гражданской позицией, он изобличал национализм и ксенофобию. Маркелов прожил достойную жизнь и погиб за правое дело”, – заявил Кадыров после подписания указа, передает Интерфакс.’

ivanov, I have good news for you:

Когда ты сдохнешь, nobody will give a shit.

I know that, candid! I know…
And do you know why? Because I’m not dealing with shit as Markelov was doing (and getting it all back now).

Маркелов прожил достойную жизнь и погиб за правое дело”, – заявил Кадыров после подписания указа

So far this is the biggest piece of shit to the pile… Ramzan has the sense of humor (black one).

it’s only natural for concerned citizens not to have much faith that there will a full investigation unless the President/PM makes it very clear that this is what he wants.

I’m somewhat more optimistic about Russian people, Kolya. I think they will loose the faith in хороший барин sooner than you think. Otherwise it will be like “Find out who was right and who was wrong and punish both. Yours sincerely Tzar vseya Rusi.”

So, it was just a strange coincidence that Markelov was murdered? Perhaps it was a mugging gone bad, or it was a fate he deserved for being a terrible person (as your opinions seem to suggest.)

I don’t think it was coincidence. Budanov release and press-conference about Budanov – then boom! Sure someone knew what he was doing.
As to “fate” – your opinion about my opinion is based on …what, actually? Have I mentioned anything about who deserved what?
I said that opinion about revenge is bullshit – by my opinion. What’s wrong with that – two free opinions? As Sean didn’t provide his reasons to his opinion – I decided to wait for it rather than “suggesting” and “assuming”.

You should just be a man and admit that Markelov did not deserve to be murdered (despite your apparently foul opinions of him)

Why do I have to admit something that you assuming?… Sorry, but I never said “he deserved it”.

and that his continued involvement with the Budanov case was one likely reason for his murder.

Exactly! And candide just proved that. There is no point to shoot me – nobody would care. But if we shoot some “pravozashitnik” and link it to the known decoy – Budanov – then we can use this for PR campaign. Right?
Just check how many people have heard about now “famous” lawyer before his murder.

Maybe you’ll seek to blame this on a 3rd party, some unseen hand in the entire affair. That is always convenient and doesn’t require evidence.

If you have evidence about 1st party – I would be happy to listen to. But so far what I see is confusion only… whom to blame – Putin, Medvedev or both

And like Wally, I’m also bothered that your first reaction with respect to Markelov’s murder was to criticize Markelov himself.

Critisize?
I just add some colors to the white image of Markelov. And also some facts about Budanov case. That’s all.

PS. Wally.
I have NO illusions about Obama.
So at least you don’t have to worry about my mental health

The same opinion resurfaces in the Russian blogosphere every time someone like Markelov meets a violent end: They had it coming to them because of their supposed nefarious dealings with people who want to see a weak Russia on its knees.

I saw the same thing when Yury Chervochkin was beaten to death, the idea that his vocal criticism of the country’s ruling elite or involvement with marginal political factions — however idiotic or misguided — is rightfully punishable by murder.

I’m not exactly where this comes from, this brazen disregard for human life in this country. A legacy of no person, no problem, I guess. It depresses me a great deal.

Ivanov:

“I’m somewhat more optimistic about Russian people, Kolya. I think they will loose the faith in хороший барин sooner than you think. ”

I certainly hope you are right! But I was writing about the situation as it is today, not in the future. People, unfortunately, have good reason to believe that unless they make enough noise to persuade the authorities to fully investigate the Altai case, the powers that be will simply wait for the dust to settle and then sweep it under the rug.

I said that opinion about revenge is bullshit – by my opinion.

Your opinion is contradictory and makes no sense. His murder wasn’t coincidence, but it wasn’t for revenge?

Apparently you consider defense attorneys to deal in shit, that only shitty people need attorneys and that such attorneys are, by association, shit themselves … you’ve expressed that word in association with Markelov 4 or 5 times now in this thread.

And then, in your typical asshole fashion, you deny that you criticize him or implied that he deserved it. You dispense no “facts”, simply implied criticism and general disdain.

But this is a topic about unknown (when he was alive) pravozashitnik Markelov. Whose “value” as dead is growing as a pile of shit.

But if we shoot some “pravozashitnik” and link it to the known decoy – Budanov – then we can use this for PR campaign. Right?

So your opinion apparently is … his murder was by his own compatriots and all for public relations or advertisement.

Of course, you won’t come out and directly say this, because you lack the strength of character to say something directly. You like to imply, indicating “maybe this is what happened” so that no one can directly challenge your infantile and warped point of view.

It is a wonderfully adaptive viewpoint – blame the victim.

It was all an arranged set-up.

Black is white.

Up is down.

There are no contract killings in Russia by enemies, it is all your friends who arrange to have you murdered to make their causes seem more important.

I’m not exactly where this comes from, this brazen disregard for human life in this country.

Carl, what country are you talking about?

Wally, could you use part of the strength of your character to say something directly? Like who ordered this killing and what for?

it is all your friends who arrange to have you murdered to make their causes seem more important.

If I was Me or Pu I would say that it is all my enemies who arranged. Whether they were friends or “friends” of Markelov – irrelevant.

And some few drops of pink to the white Markelov.

“Маркелов – адвокат Израилова в Европейском суде, по делу против Кадырова”

“13 января в Вене неизвестными был убит 27-летний Умар Израилов, выступавший с обвинениями против президента Чеченской республики Рамзана Кадырова, сообщает The New York Times. Как передает американское издание со слов друга покойного, убийство произошло в тот момент, когда Израилов выходил из продуктового магазина. Снаружи его ждали по меньшей мере четыре человека. Израилов пытался убежать, но его застрелили.
В России Израилов был первоначально задержан как сепаратист, однако вскоре его отпустили по амнистии, и он стал телохранителем Кадырова. Затем он бежал из Чечни и получил убежище в Австрии, после чего в России людьми Кадырова был похищен и подвергнут пыткам его отец. В конце 2006 года Израилов подал в Европейский суд по правам человека иск против России, в котором обвинял Кадырова в систематическом использовании пыток и похищений для усмирения несогласных в период с 2003 по 2005 год.”

Have I mentioned that it was Kadyrov who awarded a medal to Markelov today?….

This is really a joke – medal from Kadyrov to pravozashitnik….

a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

I thought it was less then fifty years ago…

Well, for the Jon Favraeu, the 27-year-old president’s speechwriter this is OK. Small error. He is speechwriter not mathematician neither historian after all.

Guys who wrote speeches for Brezhnev had more experience with numbers.
Otherwise Jon’s work recall me old days

Although I’m pretty confident that most of the readers of comment threads on SRB are pretty dismissive of this dated, and often flawed book, Baker and Glasser’s Kremlin Rising really looked into the Budanov and Markelov case with greater detail than most other sources I have come across (even if you have the WaPo house style of moral outrage).

However, I have always thought that Stanislav was getting into more trouble with the Kadet case and even more so with the Blagoveshchensk filtration camps. Below is a link to a post we did in 07, after Markelov shared with us a copy of Order #870 from the Minis$try of Internal Affairs, which established the legal foundations for filtration camps. From a law perspective, Order #870 was pretty much on par with Addington and Yoo’s work to help the Bush administration legalize torture.

http://www.robertamsterdam.com/2007/04/stanislav_markelov_-_russias_filtration_system.htm

As a side note, I would reiterate that Markelov was not into any of this out of vanity, PR, fame, or career. Just try to find more than even a handful of photos of him online. He would rarely use the first person. Nevertheless, that’s the taint they will try to throw upon his memory.

James, thanks very much for your interesting information and thanks for the corrective on Markelov’s character.

Whether Markelov was a committed idealist, a publicity seeking lawyer, both, or something in between is TOTALLY irrelevant. What’s relevant is that he was a hard working lawyer who was murdered in broad daylight because someone wanted to stop him.

BTW, I agree with Carl’s comment.

he was a hard working lawyer who was murdered in broad daylight because someone wanted to stop him.

That’s possible.
Also possible someone wanted to use his death for own purposes. As James noted – alive Markelov had very low profile. As dead one – he is on top of the “news”.
Also possible both versions are correct.

So my point was to show wider than just “hard working human rights lawyer” picture.

His killing might be arranged by Kadyrov’s enemies. By killing Izmailov and his lawyer in one week they just wanted to point finger to Kadyrov. Why not?

But when another pravozashitnik Ponomaryev in his interview to Reuters said “It was secret service as usual” – the only thing I can say “What an old idiot!”
Markelov was nobody. Just somehow connected to “loud cases”. And as such – he was a perfect target.

One more note. I’ve heard a lot from you about my assumptions. As I don’t want to assume what your opinion is – would be interesting to hear it.
Was it Medvedev? Putin? Both? Secret service? Budanov & friends?

Ivanov, I don’t know whose orders was the killer of Markelov and Baburova following. I don’t know who at the end was the person morally responsible for those murders. I deplore the climate in which such killings, although big news for a while, are not surprising and are almost always unresolved.

I would not be surprised if elements of the FSB or the military were responsible. I would not be surprised if it was Kadyrov or some other Chechen faction. I would not be surprised if it was a fascist group. It could somebody else unhappy with Markelov’s work. For example, who was, for instance, ultimately responsible for the attack on Beketov? Could it be that his murder was a provocation? Maybe. Frankly, I don’t think either Medvedev, Putin or Budanov had anything to do with it. Could it be, though, that someone killed him because of Markelov’s work against Budanov? Yes. And then there is the possibility raised by James. Because of Markelov’s work, there is no shortage of plausible suspects.

Markelov was a brave man doing work most lawyers were afraid to do. He was murdered and ALL Russians, regardless of whether they liked him, should be outraged by it.

I deplore the climate in which such killings, although big news for a while, are not surprising and are almost always unresolved.

It’s much easier to resolve shooting of fellow students in the school. But with such killing as Markelov – chances are really low. I doubt the shooter is still alive.

He was murdered and ALL Russians, regardless of whether they liked him, should be outraged by it.

All – impossible. But I personally don’t like it. Only the state has “the license to kill”. All others must be found and prosecuted asap.

PS. At least you have the strength of character to say “I don’t know”… But far too many Russians already “know”.

He was murdered and ALL Russians, regardless of whether they liked him, should be outraged by it.

I’d be interested to read what Russians do think of this murder. After Politovskaya’s murder, I got the impression that a lot of Russian thoughts were along the lines of “She should have kept her mouth shut.”

Tim.
You can read last words of Markelov – to get impression who he was and what he was standing for…
“Патриотизм – это глупость!
Патриотизм – это трусость!
Патриотизм – это предательство!
Патриотизм – это смерть!
Патриотизм – это страх!
Патриотизм – это болезнь!
Патриотизм не может быть серьёзным!
Патриотизм не имеет смысла!”

http://www.zaprava.ru/content/view/1711/1

And below is “average” thinking about the murder.
“Я знаю, что радоваться смерти человека неприлично
Знаю.
Но я знаю, что Бог – иногда бывает справедлив.”

Ivanov, thanks for the Markelov link. What you excerpted were section headings of his last article. Those who read the article will see that he was indeed absolutely fed up with those who use “patriotism” as a measuring stick of public worthiness. The sort that says that you can be a corrupt politician but if you beat your chest proclaiming patriotism, then you are all right, As Markelov wrote in that article: “any thief, licking his chops at what he stole, proclaims how much he loves his Motherland and how ready he is to steal again for the sake of this love.”

Remember that Samuel Johnson about 250 years ago famously said: “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”

Markelov was a man of strong opinions and he was not afraid to express those opinions. I’m disgusted at those who now think that somehow “he had it coming” or that “he should have kept his mouth shut.”

Remember that Samuel Johnson about 250 years ago famously said: “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”

I should point out that you are one of the few who are using this quote appropriately. The full quote makes it clear that Johnson was not objecting to patriotism, but to those who insincerely invoke patriotism: exactly what you describe. Usually this quote is wheeled out by those who think it is a criticism of patriotism in all its forms.

“I’m disgusted at those who now think that somehow “he had it coming” or that “he should have kept his mouth shut.”

My impression is that few people believe this, but that rather many believe that this is yet another case when somebody is going to get preferential treatment because he had powerful friends/was famous.

“I’m not exactly where this comes from, this brazen disregard for human life in this country. A legacy of no person, no problem, I guess.”

It’s simple. These people (Markelov, Politkovskaya), are associated with the “liberals,” people whose disregard for human life is horrendous. Therefore, it is seen as a case of reaping what you sow.

“Have I mentioned that it was Kadyrov who awarded a medal to Markelov today?….

This is really a joke – medal from Kadyrov to pravozashitnik….”

He defended a Chechen woman who had been raped and murdered. He was not a faceless pravozashitnik.

Kadyrov does not take orders from Moscow, you know.

“It’s simple. These people (Markelov, Politkovskaya), are associated with the “liberals,” people whose disregard for human life is horrendous. Therefore, it is seen as a case of reaping what you sow.”

Oooh, I guess I do understand now. They are, nonetheless, sick fucks for rejoicing over the murders.

“They are, nonetheless, sick fucks for rejoicing over the murders.”

No argument from me!

“this is yet another case when somebody is going to get preferential treatment because he had powerful friends/was famous.”

And the preferential treatment he got was that he was murdered?

I guess you mean that his murder is being covered by the news because he was not an unknown Ivan murdered during a mugging. Well, not that Markelov had the same prominence as Martin Luther King, but that’s like saying that people thought it was somewhat unfair that MLK’s assassination got preferential treatment. In any polity such murders get preferential treatment precisely because they are not common crimes. For instance, it is only natural that the assassination of a famously controversial Vermont figure will be deemed more important to Vermonters than if I’m murdered by a burglar.

Perhaps, Chris, you were simply trying to be provocative….

“And the preferential treatment he got was that he was murdered?”

The preferential treatment is that his murder will actually be investigated, unlike the murders of dishwashers, bus drivers, and schoolteachers. Russia has a pretty high murder rate, you know, coupled with a shit police force. Yet somehow people care only about journalists.

That is how most Russians see it. (Correctly.)

“Yet somehow people care only about journalists.”

And lawyers. Or more precisely, people with the “right” political views.

By the way, on the “brave journalists and human rights defenders” trope:

What exactly is the mortality rate of pravozashitniki vs., say, miners? Everybody who goes down into a mine or gets into a fishing boat is brave.

Yet, pravozashitniki are special.

“The preferential treatment is that his murder will actually be investigated, unlike the murders of dishwashers, bus drivers, and schoolteachers. Russia has a pretty high murder rate, you know, coupled with a shit police force. Yet somehow people care only about journalists.”

Actually, a majority of murders in Russia are simple бытовухи, which are solved relatively easily, even by the country’s shoddy law enforcers.

“Actually, a majority of murders in Russia are simple бытовухи, which are solved relatively easily, even by the country’s shoddy law enforcers.”

True. But I mean the less cut-and-dry cases. How would you translate бытовухи?

Chris, you ignored my main point.

“… not that Markelov had the same prominence as Martin Luther King, but that’s like saying that people thought it was somewhat unfair that MLK’s assassination got preferential treatment. In any polity such murders get preferential treatment precisely because they are not common crimes. For instance, it is only natural that the assassination of a famously controversial Vermont figure will be deemed more important to Vermonters than if I’m murdered by a burglar.”

Certain crimes are political crimes and they naturally have a much stronger effect on the polity itself–it’s more than the victim and his/her immediate circle of friends and family that are affected.

“not that Markelov had the same prominence as Martin Luther King, but that’s like saying that people thought it was somewhat unfair that MLK’s assassination got preferential treatment.”

This would be true if average murders in the US (in the 1960s) were ignored, which is not the case.

You are also implying that the murder had political content, which is far from established.

“True. But I mean the less cut-and-dry cases. How would you translate бытовухи?”

It’s a real problem for Western hacks. It really depends on the context of the crime itself. If love and sex are involved, you could try “crime of passion.” If booze is involved, “drunken murder.”

Don’t forget that this was a very brazen crime: city center, broad daylight, escape by metro, guy killed execution-style, goes back to finish off girl. Yes, it’s getting a lot of attention. But if authorities don’t react (or appear to react) forcefully to crime committed so нагло, it sends a bad message for citizens who desire not to be executed in public.

And in general, it seems these pravozashitniki who get whacked just have a good lobby who press for the crimes to be solved. Government officials do the same when their own are murdered, as do cops. Ain’t no shame in that.

I guess Dmitry Pavlovich the gypsy cab driver just doesn’t have as powerful/vocal friends to pester investigators to find the fare who shot him and hacked up his body.

Anyway, my point was that the law is supposed to protect everybody, not just rich and/or famous people. It does not. Most people are more-or-less defenseless, and so do not give a fuck about Markelov, much less, say, Khodorkovsky (boo-hoo, the poor defenseless billionaire crook is being oppressed. Cry me a river.).

“I guess Dmitry Pavlovich the gypsy cab driver just doesn’t have as powerful/vocal friends to pester investigators to find the fare who shot him and hacked up his body.”

Yep.

“escape by metro”

Really?

Yes, he ducked into the Kropotkinskaya metro station, according to the reports I’ve read.

Don’t they have cameras in there?

“You are also implying that the murder had political content, which is far from established.”

Yes, more than likely it had political content. The only way to find out for sure is if the crime is solved. More importantly is that regardless of the motivation of those who ordered his death the murder does indeed affect the polity precisely because Markelov was who he was.

“Anyway, my point was that the law is supposed to protect everybody, not just rich and/or famous people. It does not.”

Yeah, it sucks. In varying degrees this is the case all over the world.

“Most people are more-or-less defenseless, and so do not give a fuck about Markelov,”

That’s the part I think is totally fucked up (if really true). Once again, not all murders are the same. If I’m killed by a burglar, my murder is of much less significance to Vermont than if a reporter investigating state corruption is mysteriously murdered.

“If I’m killed by a burglar, my murder is of much less significance to Vermont than if a reporter investigating state corruption is mysteriously murdered.”

You’re missing my point again, which is that people care about this murder precisely for this reason, i.e., he is getting prefential treatment. Nobody would care if he was a Joe Schmoe. And there are a lot more Joe Schmoes. Society would be much more improved by protecting the Joe Schmoes, who have a lot more to worry about from crossing the street than they do from official corruption, than protecting this one guy.

“Yes, more than likely it had political content.”

It’s more likely that it had economic content. IMV.

Chris, once again, Markelov’s murder has more of an effect on the polity than the murder of a Russian Joe Schmoe. Because of it, his murder is naturally a more significant event that should have a higher priority. (This has nothing to do with someone’s worth as a person.)

To put it starkly. If Putin is murdered, would you think is reasonable for people to resent that the investigation and coverage of his murder is getting preferential treatment?

“Don’t forget that this was a very brazen crime: city center, broad daylight, escape by metro,”

“A daytime shooting of a man on a busy Toronto subway platform disrupted downtown commuter traffic for hours and put innocent people at risk, police said.”

The subway station was right downtown.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/01/22/ttc-shooting.html

“If Putin is murdered, would you think is reasonable for people to resent that the investigation and coverage of his murder is getting preferential treatment?”

Putin is liked and believed by most people to be working for their interests. Markelov (much less Khodorkovsky) is not believed to have been engaged in such activities, but rather to have been working against them. The issue is not simply the preferential treatment, but that the person getting the treatment is perceived to be an asshole.

(I actually have a relatively positive opinion of Markelov; he’s more serving as an archetype.)

“The issue is not simply the preferential treatment, but that the person getting the treatment is perceived to be an asshole.”

If you are talking about people’s subjective feelings, then I can sort of accept that. This does not mean, though, that the case of a person who, for better or for worse, became a public figure (Putin, Markekov, Khodorkovsky, etc) should not be handled with expediency because he’s perceived to be an asshole.

Heck, I think Putin is a major asshole (perhaps worse than Khodorkovsky, but I’m not totally decided), but if he is ever murdered I would surely want his case to receive preferential treatment. The same applies to Bush. I think he’s an asshole, but if both Bush and I are murdered on the same day, it’s a no-brainer that for the sake of the country his case should receive preferential treatment.

“The issue is not simply the preferential treatment, but that the person getting the treatment is perceived to be an asshole.”

Non sequitur.

Low opinion of another person mustn’t cancel the outrage when some harm comes to that person.

For example, I think you Chrisius are indeed an asshole, but I would be outraged if any harm were to come to you.

To discount, and even rejoice in, acts of violence against people one doesn’t like personally, takes a twisted and slavish soul.

Wow!
Markelov’s rating on this bog already reached Bush/Putin level…

From my point any human who thinks he has the right to kill another one for his own reason – extremely dangerous animal. And must me “isolated” asap.

How would you translate бытовухи?”

Probably “battery”, since Domestic crime does not have the colloquial flavour

Have you spotted this: http://argali2009.blogspot.com/
?

Lena,

Thank you very much for the link you provided:

http://argali2009.blogspot.com/

“as soon as the Argali poaching was made known to public – decision was taken that all investigation is made “temporarily secret”.”

Sad, but not surprising. I hope that thanks to public pressure thing move forward. Instead of an embarrassment to sweep under the rug, Medvedev should see it as a good opportunity to prove that he means business when he makes those “rule of law” claims.

By the way, guys, the blog whose link Lena gave us has info on writing to Medvedev about it. In such cases, any additional pressure tends to be helpful so there is little to lose.

And Lena, kudos to you for being one of the voices keeping this issue alive in Russia in your own Zhe-Zhe: http://lenaswan.livejournal.com/