Neversaynever

“ Let me tell you that, ALL media is controlled, yours is too. It's like that everywhere.”

" Freedom of speech murdered again in Russia

This time they didn't even try to make it look an accident.

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What was Jevlojev's crime? He founded an independent web newspaper, which provided local news that wasn't available elsewhere. There are two nationwide newspapers and one television channel in Ingusia and they are completely controlled by the Russian establishment. That's why Jevojev's web paper was very popular. More than 40 percent of the people of Ingusia used to read Jevlojev's paper.

I interviewed him in June in Suomenlinna [Helsinki, Finland], where he gave a talk at the Finrosforum seminar on the freedom of speech. He said that the web newspaper was available throughout Ingusia in a printed version as well because the people had an insatiable desire to have access to unbiassed information about local events.

To his mind, the situation in Ingusia was getting worse day by day. Ordinary citizens were arrested and killed without trials. Jevlojev, an educated lawyer, also said that he had no political dissident background. He said he believed a free press decreased pressures to resort to terrorism. "Censorship drives the young into the mountains."

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Jevlojev's newspaper has been sabotaged and it was even shut down but reopened soon on another server. Explosions have occurred at the doors of the newspaper's reporters' homes, and that is why Rosa Malsagova, one of the reporters, has sought political asylum in France.

Jevlojev knew his life was in danger, yet he talked about his problems perfectly calmly. According to the International Press Institute (IPI), 77 journalists have been killed in Russia after 1992."

(Helsingin Sanomat, 2 September 2008)

Aren’t we tired of this subject yet?  We can keep beating this dead horse till  the cows come home but probably may never reach a conclusion.  Freedom of speech is the ability to speak freely with no interference or censorship from any one or agency, granted the spoken content does not inflict any harm or pain to anyone.  But we all know this is a dream definition, whether in Russia or The US. In The US, the freedom of speech has been partially removed by political groups such as ACLU, that being on the top of the list, along with other liberal organizations. Immigrants from Middle Eastern countries can stage protests and rallies while shouting “death to the US” and burn American flags but if anyone speaking out in English, making retaliatory comments to the protestors, they may be called a racist or a bigot which may be subject to legal challenges.  In Russia, being a former (may still be) Communist country, I seriously doubt if the people of Russia can really enjoy “freedom of speech”, no matter who says so.  Personally, I think one place which I can truly say anyone can say what is on his mind is Hong Kong, where the meaning of “melting pot” truly exists. The bottom line is, we can’t abuse freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom in general as a whole.  Freedom does not come free; it’s paid for by the many who had died fighting for it so that we can enjoy today. But many abuse this privilege. US has been a country generous to the many who wanted a life in America and grants everyone the right to enjoy the freedom. But that does not mean freedom to disturb the peace and freedom to rip off from the tax payers. The way I see it,  The US is under attack by the illegal aliens who abuse the freedom and those who would like nothing better than to see the collapse of US as a country.  What proof? Can you say 911?

There are a lot of such cases in any country. But in most of them it is called terrorism and only referred to Russia you call it as an example of the lack of freedom of speech.