 | To Our Readers |
Has something you've read here startled you? Are you angry, excited, puzzled or pleased? Do you have ideas to improve our coverage? |
They had just ordered a beer when 15 or so masked men with automatic guns, wearing OMON (police special forces) badges, burst in. Without otherwise identifying themselves they expelled the women from the bar and lined up the men -- 20 or 30 of them -- against the wall, stuck guns in their backs, searched them and confiscated their mobile telephones.
There the men remained for 3 1/2 hours, noses pressed to the wall, hands above head, legs spread-eagled. They were ordered to keep perfectly still; no talking was allowed, and no lavatory visits.
Any slight movement was dealt with by a painful, expert prod in the back. One person fainted; another who could not stand for long was ordered to lie on his stomach on the filthy floor.
The OMON only spoke when someone tried to shift position, however slightly. After prodding him with a gun for the second time, an officer said to one of his victims: "I'm being good to you. If you move once more, I'll make sure you never move again."
On release, everyone was recorded on video. My assistant Pavel had to give his name, date of birth, place of birth, address and occupation.
Since the purpose of the raid was never explained, we can only guess what lay behind it. Perhaps the police had been tipped off that a Chechen terrorist or drug smuggler was hanging out there. Maybe they were shaking down the owner. But in Russia, where all exercises of power are shrouded in secrecy, it's impossible to know what logic inspires such operations.
Whatever the case, the raid was conducted by methods that were disproportionate to any legitimate objective and without any evident means of redress. It was a cruel, frightening, unaccountable exercise of state power.
A month ago, on President Vladimir Putin's state visit, England saw the smiling, "normal" face of Russia, the face which proclaims the rule of law, the progress of economic reform and the safety of investment. I sat opposite Putin at the banquet in his honor at London's Guildhall and observed at first hand the charm and skill with which he presented the case for Russia. Saturday's nasty incident revealed Russia's violent underbelly. Which is the real Russia -- or are they both real?
One may glimpse in these two contrasting episodes the struggle for Russia's future -- a struggle which may well be taking place in the president's own mind.
Robert Skidelsky, a member of the British House of Lords and a director of the Moscow School of Political Studies, contributed this comment to The Moscow Times.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.