The prosecution and the prison where Alyokhina is detained both opposed the appeal, saying she “systematically breaks the facility’s rules, has outstanding penalties for rule-breaking and therefore should continue doing her term.”The punk group member’s defense stressed that they would appeal the court’s decision, which they blasted as “unlawful and unfounded.” Since the lawyers had been barred from appearing in the courtroom on Alyokhina’s request, a state lawyer appointed by the judge represented her at the hearing. The group member however had not authorized him to do that, the defense team pointed out.On the eve of the trial in Russia’s central Perm region, Alyokhina announced she was going on hunger strike after learning that she was not allowed to attend her parole hearing; she made an appearance in court via a video link. As the trial concluded, she vowed to continue with her hunger strike.Alyokhina, along with two other Pussy Riot members, was jailed for two years last August on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred for participating in the infamous ‘punk prayer’ protest in Moscow’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral, Christ the Savior.Sir Paul McCartney: Steady support After Alyokhina was banned from the hearing, Paul McCartney penned a letter voicing support for her and the other members of Pussy Riot.”My personal belief is that further incarceration for Maria will be harmful for her and the situation as a whole, which, of course, is being watched by people all over the world,” McCartney wrote in a letter posted on his website on Wednesday. “In the great tradition of fair-mindedness which the Russian people (many of whom are my friends) are famous for, I believe that you granting this request would send a very positive message to all the people who have followed this case.”In a separate letter, McCartney also expressed support for Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who was denied early release on parole last month.”I have had a long relationship with the Russian people, and, with this in mind, I am making the following request in a spirit of friendship for my many Russian acquaintances who, like me, believe in treating people — all people, with compassion and kindness,” the letter reads.The ex-Beatles previously voiced support for the band on Twitter last August: “I would like you to know that I very much hope the Russian authorities would support the principle of free speech for all their citizens and not feel that they have to punish you for your protest,” wrote McCartney.”Many people in the civilized world are allowed to voice their opinions and as long as they do not hurt anyone in doing so I believe this is the best way forward for all societies,” he added.Tolokonnikova is serving her sentence in a different detention facility than Alyokhina – one 220 kilometers outside Saransk, the capital of the Mordovia region.A third Pussy Riot member, Ekaterina Samutsevich, was released on a suspended sentence last October, as she was not actually inside Christ the Savior Cathedral when the now-infamous ‘punk prayer’ took place. … Read More
Pussy Riot’s Alekhina announces hunger strike
Following the announcement, the court ruled to postpone the parole hearing till May 23. “I’m declaring a hunger strike and order my defense lawyers not to take part in this court trial,” Alekhina stated.She participated in the hearing via videoconference from the penal colony in the Perm region in Russia’s Urals, where she is serving her two-year sentence for hooliganism over the Pussy Riot’s ‘punk-prayer’ in Moscow’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral. “Given that the Bereznikovsky city court [considering Alekhina’s parole release] is just across the road from the colony, the decision to deny her to attend the hearing can only be explained as humiliation,” tweeted Pavel Chikov, head of Agora, an association of human rights organizations.Prosecutor Lev Tashnikov said there was no need for Alekhina’s presence in the courtroom. The judge also said that there were no grounds for her to attend the hearing, as she could talk with her defense lawyer via the video link, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported.During the Wednesday hearing, Alekhina also demanded that the judge – who refused to let her personally participate in the hearing – and the prosecutor recuse themselves from the trial. Prosecutor Tashkinov has personal enmity towards her, she argued. The court rejected both requests.Alekhina, 24, appealed for parole in April, seven months after the court sentenced her and two other Pussy Riot members to jail. Her fellow band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova – who is also serving a two-year sentence – was denied parole last month. The third convicted activist, Ekaterina Samutsevich, was released on probation in October last year.It is yet unclear whether Alekhina will participate in tomorrow’s court hearing. … Read More
Pussy Riot’s Alyokhina announces hunger strike
Following the announcement, the court ruled to postpone the parole hearing till May 23. “I’m declaring a hunger strike and order my defense lawyers not to take part in this court trial,” Alyokhina stated.She participated in the hearing via video conference from the penal colony in the Perm region in Russia’s Urals, where she is serving her two-year sentence for hooliganism over the Pussy Riot’s ‘punk-prayer’ in Moscow’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral. “Given that the Bereznikovsky city court [considering Alyokhina’s parole release] is just across the road from the colony, the decision to deny her to attend the hearing can only be explained as humiliation,” tweeted Pavel Chikov, head of Agora, an association of human rights organizations.Prosecutor Lev Tashnikov said there was no need for Alyokhina’s presence in the courtroom. The judge also said that there were no grounds for her to attend the hearing, as she could talk with her defense lawyer via the video link, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported.During the Wednesday hearing, Alyokhina also demanded that the judge – who refused to let her personally participate in the hearing – and the prosecutor recuse themselves from the trial. Prosecutor Tashkinov has personal enmity towards her, she argued. The court rejected both requests.Alyokhina, 24, appealed for parole in April, seven months after the court sentenced her and two other Pussy Riot members to jail. Her fellow band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova – who is also serving a two-year sentence – was denied parole last month. The third convicted activist, Ekaterina Samutsevich, was released on probation in October last year.It is yet unclear whether Alyokhina will participate in tomorrow’s court hearing. … Read More
Inside Story – Afghistan stirs Indo-Pak tensions
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Visitors return to Kashmir’s paradise lost
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Orphans brutal beating clip goes viral, outrages Russia
A video uploaded on the video-sharing service, which was apparently filmed on a mobile phone by one of the offenders, showed several female adolescents strapping and kicking little boys and shouting “Go to bed!” at them.The footage was sent to a local media agency by an unnamed person, who said it was taken at the Mazanovsky children’s home in a rural area of the Amur Region, according to RIA.An investigation has revealed at least ten children aged 7 to 9 were “systematically” beaten by several orphans from the elder group. Three females administered the beatings, one was underage, the investigators said.Four suspects have been identified, and two of them detained. The third offender being just under sixteen could not be prosecuted, and the girl who was filming the beating is yet to be questioned by the investigators.A criminal case against the two oldest suspects, born in 1995 and 1996, has been opened; the orphans could spend up to 7 years in prison if found guilty.The director of the orphanage has also been suspended from her job.There have been calls from the public for not just punishment of the offenders, but also prosecutions of the responsible local authorities. According to the investigation, the young boys had been violently ‘punished’ since February, and it remains unclear if the orphanage staff had done anything at all to prevent the brutality.Russian Ombudsman for Children’s Rights Pavel Astakhov has joined the public anger, demanding the children’s home to be closed and an investigation of the people supervising the orphanage.“This was systematic. There are at least six proven episodes of child torture in the orphanage. It is practically impossible that the supervisors had not known about it. And if they knew, and, even worse, encouraged such ‘relations’ between the elder and the younger orphans – then, there is another criminal case,” Astakhov argued. He said the conditions were “prison-like” and the behaviour “criminal,” Astakhov urged called for the rehabilitation and re-education of the children – but not in the same place.However, Astakhov also blamed the regional authorities, saying they were responsible for failing to ensure the orphans received a proper education and decent care, but instead had their “mental health ruined.”The actions of Amur Region officials working for the Ministry of Education, as well as the law enforcement bodies responsible for child safety will be given “a thorough legal assessment,” the investigative committee has assured.Local media also quoted a woman allegedly working in the orphanage, who said everyone was aware of the repeated beatings. The woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she had tried to talk with one of the girls caught on the video.“I had been beaten in the orphanage, and I will beat,” was the orphan’s alleged response.The orphanage has so far refused to comment on the matter. … Read More
Lægeformand: Svært at bevare tilliden til politikere
Tilliden til politikerne kan ligge p et meget lille sted.
Det siger formand for Praktiserende Lgers Organisation (PLO), Henrik Dibbern,
Opgaven med at n hinanden er ikke blevet nemmere, efter at det er kommet
frem, at regeringen i yderste konsekvens er klar til at fratage PLO retten
til forhandle for lgerne, hvis der ikke findes en lsning parterne imellem.
Det er uhyre vanskeligt for os at bevare tilliden til det politiske system,
som vi stadig forventes at trffe aftaler med, siger han.
LS ARTIKELRegeringen er klar til at bruge
drastiske midler mod lgerne
Det fremgr af et notat, som DR Nyheder har fet aktindsigt i, at regeringen
er klar til at fjerne forhandlingsretten fra PLO, hvis lgekonflikten ender
med at true sundhedsvsnets stabilitet i betydeligt omfang.
I stedet vil regeringen lovgive om, hvordan de praktiserende lger skal
arbejde.
Jeg har ikke den store forstand p aftaleret, men jeg tror ikke, at det
normalt forekommer i et demokratisk samfund, at man forsger at fratage en
forening retten til at forhandle p dens medlemmers vegne, siger Henrik
Dibbern til Ritzau.
LS ARTIKELLgerne i Midtjylland vil ogs
opsige aftale med det offentlige
Tirsdag holder de praktiserende lge i Region Nordjylland et mde, hvor de
skal beslutte, om de vil indlevere deres ydernumre.
Minister maner til besindighedOg med dagens melding om et hemmeligt notat fra regeringen forventer han, at
et flertal af lgerne stemmer for at aflevere ydernummeret, som ogs lgerne
i de vrige regioner har gjort.
Sundhedsminister Astrid Krag (SF) maner til besindighed og ppeger, at
muligheden kun bliver taget i brug i yderste konsekvens.
Det her er i et tilflde, hvor man efter en langstrakt forhandling str i en
situation, hvor lgerne i PLO fortsat ikke vil arbejde i det offentlige,
siger hun og fortstter:
Og str man s med et sundhedsvsen, der ikke kan hnge sammen, og det ikke
er forsvarligt for patienterne mere, s er det klart, at vi bliver ndt til
at handle, men jeg tror ikke, vi kommer i den situation, siger Astrid Krag
til DR Nyheder.
… Read More
