Shadows and Light: US Policy Options, Human Rights, and Rule of Law in Russia

Education for Democracy

“What would your good do if evil didn’t exist, and what would the earth look like if all the shadows disappeared? After all, shadows are cast by things and people.” Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and the Margarita

The Senate Subcommittee on European Affairs will conduct a hearing on Wednesday, December 14, to evaluate “The State of Human Rights and Rule of Law in Russia: Policy Options.”

In light of the Duma elections and in the shadow of Putin’s reaction to US criticism that the elections were “neither free nor fair,” the hearing will focus on the state of human rights and rule of law, evaluate US policy including the “reset,” and look forward at US policy assistance to the Russian people and human rights actors. It will also address the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2011, “a Bill to impose sanctions on persons responsible for the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, for the conspiracy to defraud the Russian Federation of taxes on corporate profits through fraudulent transactions and lawsuits against Hermitage, and for other gross violations of human rights in the Russian Federation, and for other purposes.” The Act was introduced in the 112th Congress by Senator Cardin with bi-partisian cosponsors including Senators McCain, Ayotte, Begich, Blumenthal, Durbin, Johanns, Kirk, Kyl, Leiberman, Rubio, Shaheen, Whitehouse, and Wicker.

It is particularly fitting that the hearing would fall after two internationally recognized observances: International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9 and Human Rights Day on December 10. These days are not merely for observing, they are for engaging. They are not only aspirational, they require informed and committed action. Putin inferred that the State Department was untoward in giving the green light to the Russian people in support of free and fair elections. What it seems Mr. Putin does not understand is that the Russian people inherently have the right to select representative government, a right codified in Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – it is not a privilege given only with his permission or covertly sanctioned by Secretary Clinton.

The American position stood in solidarity with those who have taken to the streets demanding their political rights. It is now Putin who is standing between his people and political freedom. hairy woman срочный займ на карту https://zp-pdl.com/how-to-get-fast-payday-loan-online.php https://www.zp-pdl.com hairy woman