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After spending more than nine hours in a Moscow courthouse Garry Kasparov emerged late Friday evening to inform friends and supporters that he has finally been acquitted of illegal protest charges. Clearly the weight of exonerating evidence had been too great, even for a pro-government court. However the biting accusation still remains to be cleared – Kasparov has not been charged yet. Friday's acquittal and the evidence presented below, however, make it likely that the case will be dismissed. Photo: Ilya Mouzykantskii.
Moscow, Russia – August 23, 2012
Monday, August 21, I visited the district office of the Investigative Committee of Russia to submit my complaints. The first for my illegal arrest and physical assault by the police. The second, against officer Dennis Ratnikov for his libelous accusation of assault against me. Ironically, libel was recently upgraded to a criminal charge in Russia in order to persecute citizens who were critical of the leadership! I answered the investigator’s questions:
Did you assault the police officers? No. Did you offer resistance? I would not call it that, but I was being abducted unlawfully and did not want to be put on the bus. Did you bite the officer? Absolutely not. Even had I wanted to, there was no opportunity. Did you insult any officers with profane language? I admit that while being assaulted and in physical pain I used strong language in my emotional state.
The ICR (similar to the American FBI; they answer to the office of the President) will now decide whether or not to combine my two complaints into one. It was clear they were not happy about having to deal with this counterattack. But it was the security forces who created this absurd situation, and its absurdity does not mean it is not dangerous so I must respond seriously.
The latest evidence against the accusation that I bit officer Ratnikov on the hand is a chronological series of photographs by Artyom Geodakian clearly showing a small cut on his left hand before he participated in beating me. I do not know how he acquired this cut, but that is not my concern. I am lucky so many members of the media were there and indebted that many of them have lent their expertise to refuting the charges against me. Among them, The New Times, Grani, The Term, Novaya Gazeta, and the BBC. Several correspondents, including that of Radio Liberty, signed the witness statement in my defense.
Police officer Dennis Ratnikov standing on the right with a scratch on his
left hand
He participates in the bundling away of another demonstrator
He clearly has a scratch on his left hand
This is just before the bus scene where Kasparov is accused of having bitten
him
Finally locked up in the bus and taken away to the station
This is all part of the remarkable support I have received here in Russia and abroad from politicians, actors, business leaders, and the global chess community. People I met only once at a long-ago conference have gotten in touch. My family and I are truly grateful. I am lucky enough to have a famous name and the resources for medical care and legal defense. Many in Russia are not so lucky, and if you see how I am treated with the whole world watching you can imagine what happens to activists here with no one watching and with no one to defend them. Such brutality by the police and the courts is a routine for them.
In the coming months, dozens of activists will be put on trial for protesting and other acts of defiance against the Putin regime. They need legal defense, medical aid, and their families often need assistance. You can help! We have established a non-profit foundation to receive donations for this purpose, called the Foundation for Democracy in Russia. These donations will go to helping those unjustly persecuted and their families. In the last few days we have received donations from people in more than a dozen countries, a wonderful show of solidarity.
Along with aiding these courageous individuals directly, each donation throws sand in the gears of the Putin repression machine. You see, in order to give the appearance of a legitimate government, the Kremlin allows trials and appeals and is signatory to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Putin relies on the inability of ordinary Russians to hire attorneys and defend themselves. The courts are Kremlin puppets, but they must go through the motions of justice to avoid even greater global condemnation and the risk that Western leaders will finally call for Russia’s expulsion from international covenants. This would cost Putin and his cronies business deals and trade agreements – in other words it would hit them where it hurts, their wallets! Putin’s oligarchs will be forced to realize it is against their best interests to continue persecuting innocent people for speaking their minds.
People power does not let Western leaders off the hook. If they take the ideals of freedom and justice seriously, they must pass legislation to sanction Putin and his officials for punishing innocents and destroying the rule of law in Russia. In the US, the Magnitsky Act in the Senate (S.1039) would show these thugs that they will be held accountable for their actions. No more oppression at home in Russia while traveling freely abroad and keeping their loot in European and American banks. Similar legislation exists in the European Union. You have a voice, so let your representatives know how you feel!
Garry Kasparov
You can see the original photo series by Artyom Geodakian here
In our previous report we showed pictures that seemed to indicate that Dennis Ratnikov was uninjured during and after his scuffle with Kasparov. It wasn't until everyone started scouring the thousands of pics for this one officer's hands the ones with the cut were found. It's barely visible in the ones we published in the previous report – the video was too grainy and fast to see it.
But it is there, if you look carefully. Obviously the prior wound.
Note too that Ratnikov was not involved in the original arrest, which took place three minutes before the above pictures. He was dragging someone else in at the time. It was when the paddy wagon door was opened and Garry tried to exit, after 15:23 in the time stamp, that Ratnikov jumped into action. The wound on his knuckle is clearly there, and judging from his actions in the close-up video he probably got it from punching someone else.
On his Facebook page Kasparov points to "some kind words and positive thoughts from a visionary who truly changed the world, Google co-founder Sergey Brin (he's Russian, by the way). Impressive to see that the Google motto 'Don't be evil' is more than just a motto!" Brin writes in Google+:
Sergey Brin
Aug 22, 2012 - Public
If you haven't followed the Pussy Riot "trial" in Russia, I recommend
you read Garry
Kasparov's eye opening account of the state of freedom of expression under
Putin. "There was shock, if no real surprise, at the verdict against
Pussy Riot on Friday. Despite whispers of leniency, I never doubted that a
conviction and prison term would result. Not because they violated anything
in the Criminal Code, which, as of this writing, is still freely available
on the Internet. No, Pussy Riot's actions were hateful toward religion only
in breaking the First Commandment of today's Russia, "Thou shalt not
take Putin's name in vain." ...
This is the article Sergey was quoting from:
There was a nice exchange on the always brilliant Stephen Fry's Twitter page:
And here's an appeal to support the band and put sanctions on the Putin government:
