Posters of Putin as Orwellian Big Brother Appear in Petrozavodsk; Charges to Follow

Paul Goble

            Staunton, December 11 – A group of youthful activists in the Karelian capital of Petrozavodsk put up posters around the city two days ago showing Vladimir Putin in the guise of Orwell’s “Big Brother” with legends like “Crimea is Mine!”  They hoped to provoke discussions: the authorities have responded by launching criminal cases.

            “The vandals,” as those who put up the signs call themselves, hoped these posters would lead people to talk about the issues, believing that if they do, “this is already a victory” (runaruna.ru/articles/30755-pozvonili-i-skazali-chto-nam---pogovorili-s-temi-kto-razvesil-po-petrozavodsku-provokatsionnie-plakati-s-putinim/, severreal.org/a/30316508.html  and region.expert/big_brother/).

            Within hours, the local authorities had taken down the signs and tracked down those who created and put them up, telling the young activists that they will be charged with a crime. Whether it is will under Article 282 about promoting hatred and challenging human dignity or Article 214, vandalism, the activists don’t yet know.

            The Runa news agency turned to the local office of the interior ministry for comment. The ministry’s press spokesman said he had no comment and wouldn’t for the media, but he added that he would discuss the matter with rights activists if they were to call or visit his institution.

            The news agency thus telephoned Larisa Boychenko, plenipotentiary for human rights in Karelia, to see if she would intervene. What they learned is that she was in Moscow and would have to take the matter up on her return.