Freedom House Downgrades Putin’s Russia to "Not Free"
By Alicia Burns
Dec 21, 2004
or the first time since the fall of Communism, Russia is listed as “Not Free” in the Freedom House’s annual survey Freedom in the World. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assaults on free speech and capitalism, as well as his government’s interference with free elections in the Ukraine all contributed to the demotion. In a press release from Freedom House, Executive Director Jennifer Windsor said, “Russia's step backwards into the Not Free category is the culmination of a growing trend under President Vladimir Putin to concentrate political authority, harass and intimidate the media, and politicize the country's law-enforcement system."
Freedom House also noted the corrupt elections process the country experienced in late 2003 and early 2004 as a major factor in changing Russia’s status. After Parliamentary and Presidential election results favored President Putin and his party, he acted to consolidate his authority, targeting the wealthy oligarchs, namely Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who remains in jail awaiting trial. Mr. Khodorkovsky’s oil conglomerate, Yukos, was confiscated by the government and auctioned off under suspicious circumstances December 19, the New York Times reported. President Putin targeted Mr. Khodorkovsky because he viewed him as a political opponent.
The coming year for Russia could bring more of the same, and President Putin may attempt to change the country’s constitutional limit of two terms for the president, opening the door for a third term. On the other hand, with Western publications such as the Economist becoming increasingly vocal on Russia’s move toward authoritarianism, there is hope for change.
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