Russian President Vladimir Putin says he does not favor harsh punishment for members of a punk rock band on trial in Moscow for alleged hooliganism. Mr. Putin’s comments Thursday to Russian reporters are his first public pronouncements on the February arrest and prosecution of three members of the all-girl band Pussy Riot. The defendants, who […]
Russia’s Putin Hints at Leniency for Punk Rockers
Posted August 2nd, 2012 at 6:10 pm (UTC-5)
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British Rockers Call for Release of Russian Opposition Band
Posted August 2nd, 2012 at 1:35 pm (UTC-5)
Leading British musicians, including Pete Townsend of The Who, Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdin and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, are calling on Russia to free three members of the punk rock band Pussy Riot, who are on trial in Moscow on hooliganism charges. In an open letter published in The Times of […]
Russian Opposition Activist Faces Theft Charges
Posted July 31st, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
Russian authorities have charged prominent opposition activist Alexei Navalny with theft — the latest development as the Kremlin cracks down on dissent. Investigators said in a statement Tuesday they suspect Navalny played a part in a scheme to steal assets from a state timber company — totalling about $500,000 — while he was advising a […]
Russian Opposition Activist Faces Theft Charges
Posted July 31st, 2012 at 9:50 am (UTC-5)
Russian authorities have charged prominent opposition activist Alexei Navalny with theft — the latest development as the Kremlin cracks down on dissent. Investigators said in a statement Tuesday that is suspects Navalny played a part in a scheme to steal assets from a state timber company — totalling about $500,000 — while he was advising […]
Russian Editor: Official Threatened Reporter
Posted June 13th, 2012 at 3:00 pm (UTC-5)
The editor of a prominent Russian opposition newspaper has accused the country’s top investigator of threatening to kill one of the newspaper’s journalists. Dmitry Muratov, editor of Novaya Gazeta, claimed in an open letter that Investigative Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin made the threat against reporter Sergei Sokolov. Muratov wrote that Bastrykin’s threat concerned a June […]
Russian Editor: Official Threatened Reporter
Posted June 13th, 2012 at 1:10 pm (UTC-5)
The editor of a prominent Russian opposition newspaper has accused the country’s top investigator of threatening to kill one of the newspaper’s journalists. Dmitry Muratov, editor of Novaya Gazeta, claimed in an open letter that Investigative Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin made the threat against reporter Sergei Sokolov. Muratov wrote that Bastrykin’s threat concerned a June […]
Belarus Frees High-Profile Opposition Activists
Posted April 15th, 2012 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
Belarus has released a former presidential candidate and his campaign manager from prison, following crippling economic sanctions from Western nations slapped on the Minsk government for widespread human rights abuses. Andrei Sannikov, who challenged authoritarian incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko in 2010 elections, was released late Saturday. His campaign manager Dmitry Bondarenko was freed Sunday. Sannikov […]
Cambodian Opposition Leader Blasts Tribunal Interference
Posted March 22nd, 2012 at 3:40 pm (UTC-5)
Cambodia’s opposition leader in exile is criticizing the country’s government, accusing it of blatantly interfering with attempts to prosecute crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge. Sam Rainsy told VOA’s Khmer service Thursday that officials in the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen “fear a serious investigation.” “Any serious and in-depth investigation would show that several […]
Anti-Putin Activist Announces Hunger Strike to Protest Jail Sentence
Posted March 15th, 2012 at 11:05 am (UTC-5)
Russian opposition activist Sergei Udaltsov has declared a hunger strike, after being sentenced to 10 days in prison for defying police during a demonstration against Vladimir Putin’s presidential re-election. Udaltsov, who leads Russia’s Left Front movement, said Thursday the hunger strike was to protest the sentence. Udaltsov has played a key role in organizing a […]
Bahrain Opposition Vows to Keep Protesting
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 1:30 pm (UTC-5)
Opposition parties in Bahrain have vowed to carry on with public demonstrations for political reform, after security forces prevented activists from staging a mass rally to mark the first anniversary of their uprising. Phillip Walter Wellman reports for VOA from Manama. A number of clashes between police and opposition supporters were reported throughout Tuesday’s anniversary […]
