There has been alot of criticism of President Medvedev’s and Prime Minister Putin’s silence in regard to the murder of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova. Dimitri Medvedev has finally responded. But not in a overtly public manner but via a meeting with Novaya gazeta Editor-in-Chief Dmitri Muratov and former Soviet President and Novaya shareholder Mikhail Gorbachev. According to an interview Muratov gave to RFE/RL about the meeting, Medvedev appeared to be monitoring the situation and was concerned about the murders. As to why he didn’t make a statement about the killings earlier as some, including myself, hoped, Muratov said the following:
Mr. Medvedev said he absolutely did not want to make any statements [on the killing of Markelov and Baburova] because he knew very well how things work in the administration — he worked as chief of the presidential administration for many years. And he said he understood perfectly well that investigators could interpret the words of the head of state as a directive to pursue a certain line of investigation. As a lawyer he felt strongly against that as a matter or principle.
After allowing some time for investigators to work efficiently and independently, while understanding that what had happened was a tragedy, he decided to invite a shareholder of the newspaper, Mikhail Gorbachev, and the editor in chief to express his condolences, but also to get our perspective as people who don’t represent the official or, generally speaking, television’s point of view.
This answer is interesting for a number of reasons. It gives a further glimpse into the how relationship between the Russian head of state and government organs continues to be one of signals and interpretations of signals. Medvedev is quite cognizant of the fact that his words have signifying power. And the real concern is not what the West, liberals, or people like myself think about what the silence signifies about Russia as a whole. The more pressing concern is how speaking influences officials’ actions. Here one might be reminded of Prosecutor General Iurii Chaika’s statements in regard to the Politkovskaya murder. In this case, Medvedev was aware that his words could be interpreted “as a directive to pursue a certain line of investigation,” and perhaps to his credit, he kept his mouth shut.
Another interesting aspect is Muratov’s claim that Medvedev was interested in their perspective because they are outside the mainstream. Could this gesture mean that Medvedev (and the Russian leadership in general) might be susceptible to the simulacra of their own propaganda? It also suggests that unlike his mentor-predecessor-Prime Minister, Medvedev is willing to solicit feedback and sees value in oppositional voices. This is further supported by his statement to Muratov that “Thank God [Novaya gazeta] exists.” Muratov told RFE/RL that Medvedev said that Muratov’s paper “criticizes the authorities harshly, but that’s what it’s for, and “Novaya gazeta” does not have to be liked, but it’s necessary to accept its criticism.” It sounds like Novaya has found itself an official patron.
As to who was behind the brazen murder, it seems that Muratov and Medvedev agree that fascists might be the culprits, and if not, fascism nonetheless represents a serious danger to the Russian polity.
RFE/RL: How did he react to your words? What did you speak to him about?
Muratov: I spoke about fascists sensing a certain public mood now, sensing a public demand. I said democratic institutions are stifled and that is probably the reason why fascism has raised its head. There is only one alternative to fascism and that is democracy.
As far as I understood, Dmitry Medvedev is following the situation closely and knows well about fascist, Nazi groups, which kill people constantly, in effect emerging from the underground. I handed our newspaper reports to him, essentially with a calendar of killings. He said it was one of the most dangerous phenomena today and he would pay attention to this matter. He said the cumulative effect of such fascist attacks is in complete contradiction with the path our country should follow.
I hope that in addition to the chronicle of killings, Muratov also gave the President the comments fascists left on Novaya‘s blog concerning Markelov’s and Baburova’s murder.
First, an announcement that the treason law will be reworked and now this.
Perhaps Medvedev is slowly getting the gumption to step out from under Putin’s shadow.
{ 15 comments }
“Medvedev is quite cognizant of the fact that his words have signifying power.”
He’s like Zatanna, only he says the words forwards and doesn’t look as good in fishnets.
That’s certainly an improvement. Better late than never. Good for him. However, I don’t quite understand the following statement:
“he said he understood perfectly well that investigators could interpret the words of the head of state as a directive to pursue a certain line of investigation. As a lawyer he felt strongly against that as a matter or principle.”
Medvedev could have very easily said something without any hints of directives or anything of the sort. For instance: “This is a shocking crime that should not be tolerated. The people responsible for these killings should be found, regardless of who they may be.”
Sean
“…Perhaps Medvedev is slowly getting the gumption to step out from under Putin’s shadow….”
I would like to remind people that Medvedev’s growth in the role of President should not necessarily be interpreted as a condemnation of Putinism. It’s much too simplistic, not that I’m suggesting you are doing so, to paint them as good cop – bad cop.
Rather, it should be pointed-out that Medvedev was actually Putin’s choice to follow him as President. If Putin really were “anti civil society” then he would have probably endorsed a candidate with a very different skill set.
Part of “Putin’s Plan” may in fact have been all along to slowly move Russia forward by supporting a President, like Medvedev, who has a completely different skill-set than his own.
Ironically, Putin may actually be Medvedev’s strongest supporter.
<EmAnd he said he understood perfectly well that investigators could interpret the words of the head of state as a directive to pursue a certain line of investigation.
Translation: I run a banana republic. Russia’s better than this, surely?
Thanks for link to the Novaya Gazeta piece, Sean. I hadn\’t seen that. A fine lot, those folks. Good to know some people are looking out for the good of Holy Rus,
Ironically, Putin may actually be Medvedev’s strongest supporter.
Tim, you presume, as I think many Russians do, that Putin is gifted with supernatural powers to predict the future or outcome of his decisions. He is simply a politician blessed with circumstance.
He can not possibly know for certain how Medvedev might react over time.
“Medvedev is quite cognizant of the fact that his words have signifying power.”
I’m confused. He didn’t want to influence the investigation yet both he and Muratov agreed that the fascists were most likely? Could not this be taken as a line for the investigative authorities to take thus prejudicing the investigation against other possibilities? It is not as if Markelov only had one or two potential enemies.
I agree with Kolya … Medvedev could have easily expressed condolences and resolve to prosecute the perps, without offering direction in the case.
It is telling that you have a press corp around the Kremlin that doesn’t really offer questions on such topics. You can believe if a reporter in D.C. was gunned down in broad daylight, reporter after reporter would have pressed Bush or Obama for a comment. At the very least, the White House press secetary would have had some prepared statement to read.
It would have also provoked such responses from leaders in Canada, Australia, Japan, almost all of Europe. Only in Russia are such excuses made by leaders and a blind-eye turned to such crimes that occur right in the capital, within the largest and supposedly most civilized city in the Russian Federation.
Of course, the Russian government likes to pretend it is just as civilized as these other great nations. Sadly, it is often revealed not to be the case.
I am glad that Medvedev at least shows hints of being aware of these differences, and rather than dismissing them or creating excuses, chooses to step up.
As Wally and I pointed out, Medvedev could have very easily said something without any hints of which direction he wants the investigation to take. And this makes the incongruity that Aleks’s pointed out even stronger: Medvedev didn’t want to influence the direction of the investigation and yet when he talked about it he made it clear that he thinks the fascists are the prime suspects.
The fascists (or whatever is the proper terms for those hate groups) may indeed be the perpetrators, but Markelov’s list of enemies was a long one. Perhaps we should say that the fascists are the most convenient suspect. It would be a less messy affair if the guilty party is a marginalized and hateful skinhead instead of someone in the military, or a Chechen faction (pro or con Kadyrov), or corrupt developers pissed off at Merkelov’s involvement with Beketov, and so on.
“It would have also provoked such responses from leaders in Canada, Australia, Japan, almost all of Europe.”
You really think so? I don’t think they would even notice.
I mean, journalists are mowed down in Iraq constantly. Has anybody mentioned anything? Sure, it’s Iraq, but the place is at least nominally under US control.
“It would have also provoked such responses from leaders in Canada, Australia, Japan, almost all of Europe.”
I’m not trying to be a smartarse here, genuinely, but I think you may have actually forgotten what living in a western country is like. Journalists – bad or good, right or wrong – tend to expose stories and tend to be reasonably prominent. When one of them gets shot dead, our leaders do tend to comment, usually in horror.
Paul Rudd, PM Australia – would go absolutely nuts
Helen Clarke, New Zealand – would want the perpetrators hung by the balls, and would say so live on tv. Her recent replacement John Key would say much the same
Brian Cowen, Ireland – no ranting but he would certainly get cross and comment
Gordon Brown, United Kingdom – without doubt would have a moan
Angela Merkel, Germany – Frau Merkel would hardly be amused and I daresay would let the world know it.
”Of course, the Russian government likes to pretend it is just as civilized as these other great nations. Sadly, it is often revealed not to be the case.”
The problem is the general population, which I think is mirrored at the top in Russia. Most ordinary Russians would consider a journalist asking too many questions to be a threat to the state and therefore a threat to Russia. Russians, for a people so scourged by their own governments, have huge difficulty understanding that criticism of Putin and Co is not criticism of Russia in general, and cannot separate Putin from Rossia. Funnily enough the Russian adjectives for ‘Russian’ and ‘Russian state’ – Russkii and Rossiskii – make this distinction but Russians dont. Its their loss and at the end of the day if they want to be led led like that there isnt a whole lot anyone can do for them.
Sorry, the above comment was addressing this:
“It would have also provoked such responses from leaders in Canada, Australia, Japan, almost all of Europe.”
You really think so? I don’t think they would even notice”
”I mean, journalists are mowed down in Iraq constantly. Has anybody mentioned anything? Sure, it’s Iraq, but the place is at least nominally under US control.”
Its not the USA though, and death is unfortunately a regular occurance there. If a journalist was shot in the US, there’s no doubt that something would come from Obama and I’m sure Bush as well.
i know this is totally beside the point – but why “Dimitri” Medvedev?
There hasn’t been a single person named “Dimitri” born in Russia in the past 300 years or so.
Regarding Medvedev’s behavior and his potential to move out of Putin’s shadow – this is about as likely as, say, Putin voluntarily relinquishing his personal 5% stake in Gazprom
There is not a single piece of evidence pointing to Medvedev gaining personal control over any of the Russian state pillars – oil, gas or FSB – and it is going to stay this way until something drastic happens.
mean, journalists are mowed down in Iraq constantly. Has anybody mentioned anything? Sure, it’s Iraq, but the place is at least nominally under US control.
A journalist being killed in a war zone, albeit one nominal under US control, is not the same circumstances as a journalist being executed in broad daylight on the streets of Washington. I think our Paddy friend said it all.
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