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From Our Own Correspondent

Crime and Punishment in Putin’s Russia

From Our Own Correspondent

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.41.3K Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Kate Adie presents stories from Russia, the US, Argentina, Iraq and Iceland. In the wake of President Putin's invasion of Ukraine, repressive laws were passed which effectively criminalise all anti-war activism. The recent trial of artist Sasha Skochilenko underscored the heavy-handed enforcement of these laws, as well as the inconsistent way in which justice is applied in Russia. Steve Rosenberg was in St Petersburg. Democratic and Republican states are introducing radically different laws on issues ranging from LGBTQ rights to the teaching of black history. As a result, people on either side of the political divide are on the move – as they flee from one state to another more aligned with their politics. Lucy Proctor was in Chicago and Miami. Argentina has elected far-right outsider Javier Milei as President, bringing an end to an era that has largely been dominated by left-leaning ‘Peronist’ parties. Mr Milei has pledged big spending cuts and low taxes alongside other more radical policies. Natalio Cosoy was in Buenos Aires to find out why voters backed Mr Milei. While armed violence in Iraq has ebbed in recent years, hundreds of people are still dying in accidents caused by poorly enforced safety standards as the country struggles to recover from years of war. For Iraqis who have lived through decades of conflict, these incidents represent another awful failure, says Lizzie Porter. In Iceland, residents of the fishing town of Grindavik have all been evacuated owing to warnings of an imminent volcanic eruption. Jessica Parker met locals recovering their belongings and saw the impact of the recent earthquakes first hand. Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Today we meet America's political refugees, the growing number of people packing up and switching

0:06.6

states because they feel ideologically isolated.

0:11.7

In Argentina, the election of a far right leader has brought an end to years of left-leaning

0:17.0

Peronism, but will his radical manifesto become a reality?

0:22.0

A fire at a wedding in Iraq has highlighted the lapsed safety

0:26.8

standards in the country after decades of war. And we're in Iceland where our correspondent has been tracking a volcano that's poised to erupt

0:36.4

and witnessed the evacuation of a town lying in its path.

0:40.2

But first Russia.

0:43.0

President Vladimir Putin has overseen an unprecedented crackdown on domestic opposition

0:49.0

since his country's invasion of Ukraine.

0:52.0

Repressive laws were passed, which effectively criminalise

0:56.3

all anti-war activism in the country.

0:59.9

The recent trial of artist Sasha Scotlandotelenko underscored the heavy-handed

1:05.0

enforcement of these laws as well as the inconsistent way in which justice

1:09.8

is applied in Russia. Steve Rosenberg was in the St Petersburg courtroom when she was sentenced and he reflects

1:17.8

on how her case compares to other crimes.

1:28.0

In a St. Petersburg courthouse, a dangerous criminal is walking towards me. I mean, she must be dangerous.

1:30.0

She's flanked by six policemen. Surely only dangerous criminals require an

1:36.3

escort of half a dozen police officers. The defendant, Sasha Scacchelenco, is

1:41.9

ushered into the courtroom and locked inside a metal cage.

1:46.4

And to make sure that such a dangerous offender can't slip through the bars, the police take

1:52.0

up positions around the caged dock.

...

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