Russia 101111 Basic Political Developments

Russia’s legal mire

Published: November 10 2010 20:52 | Last updated: November 10 2010 20:52

Supporters of Russia’s ruling “tandem” of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev often complain that the west is unfair in criticising its democratic record. Quietly, some suggest Russia is not yet ready for full democracy. Free elections might return liberals who would take the country back to 1990s-style disorder, or nasty nationalists. Russians must be protected from themselves.

Yet perhaps the most pernicious failing of Russia’s current system is that while many Russians may feel better off than a few years ago, they cannot feel protected. Last weekend’s vicious beating of the journalist Oleg Kashin, his skull, jaw, leg, and fingers smashed with an iron bar, is the latest of many distressing illustrations.

A corrosive combination of what Mr Medvedev has termed “legal nihilism” and corruption means Russians cannot feel safe that law enforcement authorities will protect them from harm. Or, if they do suffer harm, that the legal system will enable them to secure justice or redress. Journalists cannot feel safe doing their jobs. Tycoons cannot feel safe from possible state expropriation, smaller business owners from corporate raiding – often by the police. Expectant mothers cannot feel safe that they will be able to give birth without demands for a bribe if they want an anaesthetic.

Senior Russians point out that similar problems, sadly, are found in many other countries, including its fellow Brics. But Russia’s nominal per capita income is more than twice that of China, eight times that of India. Its lack of legal protections is arguably the biggest factor separating it from the more prosperous nations whose ranks it aspires to join. It may also harm Russia’s prospects of making that transition. It is surely at least one of the factors why Russia’s stock market trades on a hefty discount to other big emerging markets. It may be a reason why foreign direct investment is not picking up, post-crisis, as quickly as the government would like.

All that makes the lack of progress on legal reforms – in spite of the pledges of both Mr Medvedev and, earlier, Mr Putin (who promised a “dictatorship of laws”) – perplexing. The likely conviction of former Yukos chief Mikhail Khodorkovsky next month on new embezzlement charges, described even by former senior officials as absurd, is proof of that. Yet the rule of law is not an abstract value. Until Russians – not just journalists but all citizens – start feeling a bit safer, investors will never feel entirely safe either.

Blood money rejected in 'golden gun' assassination

Last Updated: Nov 11, 2010

DUBAI // The family of the murdered Chechen warlord Sulim Yamadayev will not seek blood money or take any legal action against the two men convicted of involvement in the assassination, a court was told yesterday.

MH, 37, an Iranian groomsman for the Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, and MJ, 32, a Tajik national, were sentenced to life in prison in April for aiding and abetting the murder and possessing the gold-plated 9mm Stechkin APS pistol believed to be the murder weapon.

On appeal, the public prosecution asked the court to implement Al Qasas, the capital retributive punishment under UAE law. Al Qasas, however, also gives the victim's family the right to pardon the perpetrators and reduce the sentence imposed by the court. 

Lawyers for the convicted men presented a declaration to Dubai Court of Appeals yesterday, signed by the Yamadayev family executor, the dead man's brother Isa Yamadayev.

The declaration said the family relinquished their right to retributive punishment in any criminal or civil claim related to the case, and are not pursuing any financial compensation or blood money from anyone involved, including suspects still sought by Interpol.

The document will be translated from Russian to Arabic and added to the case file in court at the next hearing on December 8.

Sulim Yamadayev was a former Chechen rebel commander who changed sides with his four brothers in 1999 and joined pro-Moscow militias. Two of his brothers were murdered in 2003 and 2008, and Sulim was shot dead in the basement car park of his home at Jumeirah Beach Residence on March 28 last year.

Dubai police have accused Adam Delimkhanov, a prominent Russian MP and cousin of President Kadyrov, of ordering the killing. Interpol has issued arrest warrants for seven Russians, including Delimkhanov.

amustafa@thenational.ae

Russian Press at a Glance, Thursday, November 11, 2010

This summer's Russian-U.S. spy scandal was the result of betrayal by a Russian intelligence officer. Investigative reporting.

(Kommersant)

President Dmitry Medvedev will hold an Internet conference with Russians.

(Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

Right Cause, which styles itself as a liberal opposition party, has become the first party to officially support President Dmitry Medvedev's candidacy for a second term in 2012. Party co-founder Georgy Bovt said Wednesday that the decision reflects the country's political reality.

(Moscow Times)

The Republican Party that won last week's midterm elections to the U.S. Congress will block any initiatives from President Barack Obama. This could not only freeze the healthcare reform but also fold Obama's policy of "resetting" relations with Russia.

(Kommersant)

BUSINESS

Russian phone retailer Euroset is preparing for an IPO in London, three investment bankers and one company manager said. The IPO could be held at the London Stock Exchange in 2011 and involve some 30% of the company's stock. The final decision will be made by November 20.

(Vedomosti)

British lighting equipment producer Abacus has announced plans to build a plant in St. Petersburg next year. Abacus is "looking at how we can support the Winter Olympics in Sochi," said Andrew Morris Richardson, chairman of the board of Abacus Russia and a board member of British Abacus.

(Moscow Times)

English could become the only language for communication between traffic controllers and pilots for non-military Russian flights, said Alexander Neradko, head of the Federal Air Transportation Agency. Currently, both Russian and English are used for radio communication at the country's international airports, while the rest only use Russian.

(Moscow Times)

Russia hopes to join the World Trade Organization next year, presidential aide Arkady Dvorkovich said.

(Vedomosti, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

The European Union plans to spend €1 trillion ($1.4 trillion) on diversification of energy supplies by 2020. The EU's energy strategy could strip Russia of part of its sales market but experts say the EU has little chance of implementing it.

(Vedomosti)

SOCIETY

City Hall's website crashed Wednesday after Mayor Sergei Sobyanin published his long-awaited plan to fight Moscow's notorious traffic jams. The plan in particular proposes barring trucks from the city during daylight hours. Experts say this will only result in shortages of goods and price hikes.

(Moscow Times, Vremya Novostei, Vedomosti)

The Investigative Committee's top department was assigned on Wednesday to handle the case of the attack on Kommersant reporter Oleg Kashin, who remains in a drug-induced coma, as suspects singled out by the media denied involvement.

(Vedomosti, Kommersant, Moscow Times, Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has banned parents from paying for efforts to repair and equip schools because there is a special federal target program to deal with the issue.

(Kommersant)

OIL & GAS

Bulgaria's Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposed joint venture with Russian energy giant Gazprom to run the Bulgarian section of the planned South Stream pipeline that will run across the Black Sea. The agreement envisions a 50-50 partnership between Gazprom and Bulgarian Energy Holding and is to be signed during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Sofia on Saturday.

(Vremya Novostei, Moscow Times)

Gazprom's sales to South Korea should pull even with supplies to major European buyers like France by 2017 as the Russian gas export monopoly turns its attention toward burgeoning Asian markets, Gazprom chief Alexei Miller said Wednesday.

(Moscow Times, Vremya Novostei)

IT

Registration of ordinary users in the Cyrillic Internet domain (.рф) will start at midday Thursday.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

November 11, 2010 09:50