8 years prison time, confiscation of money for connecting to a Youtube
By Daily Tab
Category: News
Updated: Aug 6, 2023
Time: 3: 33 p.m
For frivolous reasons, in Russia, anybody could be jailed, but only if you are a critic of the regime in Russia. President Putin detests criticism, and any view that is contrary to his wish or opinion is viewed as a threat to the country. Sequel to the practice, the former tech director of a prominent Putin’s opposition, Daniel Kholodny was given eight years prison time for connecting to a Youtube channel from his office. Funny, but that is the reality in Russia; a country under the iron fist of Putin.
Putin has constantly made it clear that the country must avoid internal conflicts, and as someone that believes criticisms could lead to a spring against his regime, he views it from the perspective he views insurrection. The duty of all Russians is to praise and support the President, who has done immensely for the country.
The rate Putin’s critics’ die by poisoning is alarming, and this has instilled fear in many Russians, drastically cutting down number of critics or momentum of opposition in the country. If people could be jailed for connecting to Youtube channel, it shows the severity of the situation in Russia.
The sentencing took place in a penal colony, a claim made by the lawyer of the victim, Svetlana Davydova, in Novaya Gazeta, a Russian newspaper believed to not be under the control of the State. Eight years prison time was the cost of connecting to a Youtube channel, a strange judgment viewed as statement against critics’.
Reacting to his imprisonment; Daniel Kholodny released a statement through the Telegram channel of Navalny, passing a defiant message to Russian people to stand firm in the quest to win against dictatorship. His statement was critical of his sentencing.
“Hi everyone, this is Danya Kholodny” he introduced himself before narrating his ordeal “I was sentenced to 8 years. You may ask what for? Turns out, connecting to a Youtube channel at the office is extremism… But that’s not all! 8 years isn’t long enough to be acquitted, so the court ordered that my property and money be confiscated. That’s what the prosecution asked for” he noted.
“It is important to understand: they condemned me not for being an extremist, because it is clear to a fool that there was no extremism, but so that you, horrified by my fate, would not think of fighting” he concluded.
There have been outcry from world institutions; noting that freedom of speech is being trampled on by the Russian regime. Others have accused Putin of torture, unjustified and repeated ill-treatment. There is no end in sight for the human rights violation and reckless sentencing of dissents in Russia.
The imprisonment of people is one thing, while the torture political prisoners receive from Russian regime backed prison authorities is another – horrible experience.
Russia as a super-power country has faced sanctions from Europe with aim to curtail Putin’s excesses but that seems to be counterproductive, as Putin continues to thrive in his hate for dissents. Ill-treatment of dissents has become a culture and there is no serious action yet to curb the act.
