On the 6th day of the war, Moscow gathers its troops and the battle for Kiev looms. In Russia, the noose on an already minimal freedom of expression is tightening. Haro on the “traitors” who criticize the war and the increasingly stifling legal provisions
with our correspondent in Moscow, Anissa El Jabri
“War in Ukraine”: these words have never existed in the state media and they are disappearing from the few remaining independent media. This Tuesday morning Novaya Gazeta uses the language of the Kremlin and now speaks of a “special military operation”.
► Also to follow our live on the war in Ukraine
Attempt to parry, footnotes with this explanation: federal censorship, says the newspaper, forces us to use this term to describe “events on Ukrainian territory”. All the reports that talked about war had to be erased.
and here it is.. this morning, Novaya Gazeta no longer speaks of “war” but of “special operation” in Ukraine. it was that or the eventual closure of the independent newspaper https://t.co/ypgkaseXk8
— Anissa El Jabri (@anissaeljabri) March 1, 2022
► To read also: in Russia, voices are trying to speak out against the war in Ukraine
Schools, the vademecum of the official word
A manual has arrived in the schools with the story that must be told to the pupils and the answers to the questions that they can ask the teachers. Anthology: “We, Russia, have always supported and taken care of Ukraine” and the mantra of power: “the objective of the special peacekeeping operation is to protect people who are victims of intimidation and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years”.
Article 275 of the Russian penal code, specifying that justice can prosecute for “high treason” people lending assistance to foreigners “in the context of activities directed against the Russian Federation”, was also exhumed. This article has so far been very rarely used. The penalties incurred are up to 15 or 20 years in prison.
Known and old methods: pose Russia as a victim, designate any critical voice as an enemy of the nation. It is also this argument that is used to tell the Russians that they must endure the consequences of the sanctions as patriots.
Monday evening, the Supreme Court endorsed the liquidation of theNGO Memorial.
► to read also: The Memorial NGO dissolved in Russia: “A 30-year throwback”