Institute of Modern Russia

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Law

The “St. Petersburg Twelve”: International Legal Violations

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28 August 2012

Sergei Golubok

Another politically motivated trial, the so-called case of the “St. Petersburg twelve,”  is about to resume in St. Petersburg, Russia. Twelve members of The Other Russia movement are accused of continuing the activities of the banned National Boshevik party. IMR presents an op-ed of Sergei Golubok, Ph.D., defense counsel for one of the accused, Andrei Pesotsky.

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Nation

IMR: The Pussy Riot case is a crucial link in a chain of crimes committed by Putin's regime

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24 August 2012

On August 17, three Pussy Riot band members were sentenced to two years in prison for their provocative punk prayer performed in Moscow's Christ the Savior Church. The trial, replete with numerous legal violations, and the harsh verdict triggered protests around the world. We feel that the Pussy Riot case represents a crucial link in an extensive chain of crimes committed by the current Russian administration.

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Nation

The 21st Anniversary

Forgotten Lessons of August 1991

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22 August 2012

Vladimir Kara-Murza

The anniversary of the Russian democratic forces' victory over the August 1991 attempted Communist/KGB coup d’état has rekindled a debate on the missed opportunities of the 1990s. Just eight years after the August revolution the putsch organizers’ ideological heirs managed to return to power. Political commentator and historian Vladimir V. Kara-Murza discusses the reasons for the pro-democracy leaders’ post-1991 failure, and the importance of historical lessons for Russia’s present-day opposition.

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Nation

Olympic Anxiety

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16 August 2012

Olga Khvostunova

The recent London Olympics saw an historic first: Russia’s failure to place among the top three countries in gold medals won; the U.S., China, and Great Britain all ranked higher. Elite sports and politics are interconnected, and the Russian team’s letdown highlights the current regime’s shortcomings. IMR's Olga Khvostunova discusses the implications of the Russian authorities’ unfulfilled promises.

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Politics

Russia’s New Parties: First Results of “Political Reform”

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14 August 2012

Vladimir Kara-Murza

The first hundred days of Putin's “new” presidency have been marked by a severe tightening of the screws. Laws on public rallies, defamation, and “foreign agents,” hastily rubberstamped by the Federal Assembly and signed by the President, further restrict civil society’s ability to function. Yet, a significant concession forced on the Kremlin by its opponents at the height of the December protests – liberalized rules for registering political parties – continues to stand, and may even come to fruition this fall. IMR first addressed the resurgence of Russia's opposition parties in Olga Khvostunova's article "Party Renaissance." Historian and political commentator Vladimir V. Kara-Murza discusses Russia’s new multiparty system.

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Nation

The Russian Orthodox Church and the Curse of the Mongol Yoke

A Primer on Collaboration with Despotism

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10 August 2012

Alexander Yanov

In the past few months, we have witnessed a resurgence of public debate on the rising influence of the Russian Orthodox Church ("ROC") on the Russian political and ideological landscape. On one hand, there are Russians that have increasingly embraced the church's ways of life and observances, with fervent support for its hierarchs' activities. On the other, numerous ROC actions and statements have led to increasing criticism by progressively-minded members of society.

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Politics

Building an Alternative to Putin: Practical Steps

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07 August 2012

Tatiana Stanovaya

In December of 2011 a new political phenomenon has taken shape in Russia. Its key features include the mobilization of the urban class angered by the increasingly repressive regime, and the confrontation between the actively dissenting minority and the conformist majority of the population. As Russian opposition functioning outside of the official political system is groping for possible ways of action in this new reality, numerous inquiries on ways to organize are surfacing with questions such as: What strategy would work best? Does it make any sense to engage with the Kremlin? Is there a need for a unifying political platform and a united party? Tatyana Stanovaya, IMR advisor and Head of Analytics Department at the Center of Political Technologies, provides us with her insights on, and some answers to these questions.

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Nation

Pussy Riot: A Cause Célèbre

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03 August 2012

On July 31st, 2012 the trial of Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot started in Moscow. The court hearings have attracted a great deal of global attention: the U.S. State Department has called it politically motivated, while many world-famous musical acts, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sting, have voiced their support for the band. For Pussy Riot’s domestic and international supporters, the disproportionate reaction of the Russian authorities to a punk prank, a “prayer against Putin” performed in a Russian Orthodox church, appears ridiculous. Despite the serious charges against them, the punks seem to be stealing the agenda.

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Economics

Putin’s Six Tricks

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31 July 2012

Igor Booth

A popular belief among the political observers skeptical of Russia’s stability is that if oil prices fall below 60 USD per barrel and remain there for more than a year, Putin’s regime will fall. However, IMR's economic advisor Igor Booth argues that the Russian government has a significant arsenal for fighting the potential economic crisis, no matter how serious it becomes. Only a small number of critical mistakes in economic policy could destabilize the country sufficiently to force the regime out of power.

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Nation

HIV/AIDS and TB: IMR Against Social Indifference

A Tribute to Vasily Aleksanyan

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30 July 2012

As part of IMR's AIDS and tuberculosis advocacy project, we present a tribute page for lawyer Vasily Aleksanyan, formerly the head of the Yukos legal department and briefly the company's executive vice president. Aleksanyan died from AIDS-related tuberculosis and lymphoma in 2011. Our tribute page includes the harrowing video of Aleksanyan's last interview with leading Russian newspaper "Kommersant" and the English transcript of his few but impactful words. On July 23rd, at the XIX International AIDS Conference of 2012 in Washington, DC, IMR presented Misha Friedman's photography exhibition and conducted a panel discussion on HIV / AIDS and TB in Russia, in order to continue raising international awareness of the worsening epidemic. On Wednesday, August 1st we will publish a summary account of our exhibition and panel discussion by IMR Director, Lidiya Dukhovich.