• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
  • WORLD DEMOCRACY
  • POLITICAL ART
  • more
    • election technology
    • money politics
    • political dissidents
    • THIRD PARTY
      • third party central
      • green party
      • justice party
      • libertarian party
    • voting methods
  • DC INFO
    • author central
    • about
    • contact
    • privacy policy

Democracy Chronicles

How World Cup is Used to Cover Russian Rights Crackdown

By DC Editors - June 20, 2018 Leave a Comment

Cover Russian Rights Crackdown

VOA – ENGLISH

Human rights campaigners say Russia is using the glitz of the World Cup to try to gloss over its deteriorating human rights record — and they want tournament organizer FIFA to use its leverage to force change.

The 12 Russian host cities have enjoyed a World Cup makeover, as Russia presents a friendly face and photogenic scenery to hundreds of thousands of visitors. Tanya Lokshina, Russia program director at Human Rights Watch, is urging visitors to dig a little deeper.

“Our message to the fans is: Take a little time and learn more about the human rights crisis in Russia today, about what is, in fact, happening under the tournament’s glitter.” She described the situation as the biggest crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union.

“Russian citizens are denied their rights to speak freely, to protest freely, and people actually go to jail for posting online things like ‘Crimea is not Russia.'”

Among those locked up is Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who criticized Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and is serving a 20-year jail term on terrorism charges.

In the Russian republic of Chechnya, Oyub Titiev, director of the human rights group Memorial, has been detained on drug charges, which his supporters said are false and politically motivated.

Before the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the release of several political prisoners. Campaigners are hoping he may repeat the gesture.

“We got a confirmation from FIFA that the organization’s leadership is engaging on the issue and hoping for a positive resolution,” Lokshina said.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino insists world football’s governing body is engaging Russia on the issue.

“Concrete progress has been made in terms of human rights and the way we are dealing with human rights questions. Also through football and through an event like the World Cup,” he said in a recent interview.

On the opening day of the World Cup, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was arrested after staging a protest outside the Kremlin, calling for an investigation into the torture and disappearance of several gay men in Chechnya. In 2007, Tatchell was attacked in Moscow by neo-Nazis and suffered partial brain damage.

A short walk from the Kremlin lies Diversity House, set up to provide a safe space for LGBTQ and other minorities to watch the games. Pavel Klymenko, of the equality campaign group FARE Network that organized the facility, said it is intended to make a political point.

“This house is a way of saying to everyone — to the footballing world, to the Russian society — that minorities are part of the game, part of society.”

The fear is that once the fans and footballers return home, Russia’s human rights crackdown may intensify.

Filed Under: Democracy Culture Tagged With: Dictatorships, Europe, Russia

About DC Editors

We are your source for news on the all important effort to establish and strengthen democracy across the globe. Our international team with dozens of independent authors are your gateway into the raging struggle for free and fair elections on every continent with a focus on election reform in the United States. See our Facebook Page and also follow us on Twitter @demchron.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Transparency Europe Independent Politicians India Internet and Voting Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Syria Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home | CULTURE | How World Cup is Used to Cover Russian Rights Crackdown

Primary Sidebar

donate button

Amazon Pays Nothing in Taxes, But the Poor Sure Do

By Jack Jones

The middle class and the poor need the tax breaks, not the Oligarchs at the top. There are property taxes, income taxes, alcohol taxes, license plate taxes, utility taxes, tobacco taxes, gasoline taxes and more.

Taiwan Nearly Cured of Traditional Chinese Medicine

By David Anderson, J.D.

Taiwan’s democracy, established in the 1980s, is firm, successful and arguably the most advanced in East Asia. So it is no surprise they are making a well-considered move in public health.

democracy chronicles newsletter

DC AUTHORS

The Disability Party and Abortion

By Andrew Straw

The Disability Party has a position on abortion that some people find problematic.  It is important for everyone to understand why this political party would limit the reach of Roe v. Wade the landmark case on abortion.

The Limits of Ranked Choice Voting

By Aaron Hamlin

It’s important to not oversell the benefits of Ranked Choice Voting, which many outlets are doing. Overselling RCV can create unrealistic expectations and sour voters to other alternative voting methods.

Time’s Up America – Civil Disobedience Now

By Jack Jones

We have been acting like doormats and have been complacent to our corporate masters. Not only that but at least 30% of us seem to be even going long and think that we are on the right track! So why do we think that there’s going to be any change?

My Addition to the Literary Mexican Tradition of La Calavera

By Julio César Guerrero

La Calavera is a literary Mexican tradition and discipline from the post-1910 revolution years developed by journalist José Guadalupe Posada and also part of the Magical Realism movement. Even Diego Rivera painted Calaveras.

On the 6th Anniversary of the Disability Party, Some Background

By Andrew Straw

Disabled Americans are encouraged to vote, but that’s all. No barriers have been removed to ensure that disabled voters have disabled candidates to vote for. Some states pretend that no disabled persons have disability rights as a candidate.

A Collection of My Best Thomas Paine Memes for His Birthday

By Adrian Tawfik

In honor of Thomas Paine’s 283rd birthday today, I am proud to announce a new collection I have put together to showcase some of my favorite artistic creations that highlight the founding father. This meme collection is free for you to spread around!

Beware the Pied Pipers of Politics

By Jack Jones

A good tagline is simple, effective and hypnotic if done properly, and it conveys a message that’s easy to remember with a minimal amount of words. How come the Republican Party is so good at the tagline?

MORE FROM OUR AUTHORS

VISIT OUR POLITICAL ART SECTION:

dc political art

DEMOCRACY CULTURE

Trump: 'Nothing Funny' about Jokes Aimed at Him

Trump Tweets His Fury at SNL Impersonation of Him, Again

The fake president mimicked Trump’s singsong voice during part of his Friday news conference announcing the national emergency.

Global Sports Groups Can Flex Power to Support Human Rights

Global Sports Groups Can Flex Power to Support Human Rights

Global sports groups show their potential power by unrelenting campaign of repression against demonstrators, peaceful critics, and human rights defenders.

Thai Transgender Candidate

Thai Transgender Candidate Runs for ‘Next Generation’

Thai 52-year-old transgender candidate, Pauline Ngarmpring, as preferred is pursuing a bid to become the country’s first transgender prime minister.

Bezos Allegations Against US Tabloid Test Limits of Press Freedom

Bezos Allegations Against Tabloid Test Limits of Press Freedom

Accusations of extortion and blackmail made by Bezos against a national gossip newspaper may have breached the legal limits of broad press freedoms.

MORE CULTURE

VISIT OUR US DEMOCRACY SECTION:

American Democracy