Russia hints it won’t free famed prisoners
MOSCOW — Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev hinted Friday that members of the punk band Pussy Riot, former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and others widely referred to as political prisoners will not be freed in Russia’s upcoming amnesty.
The bill granting longawaited amnesty for thousands of prisoners is expected to be sent to parliament in the coming days. But lawmakers and President Vladimir Putin have yet to determine who will be covered by the biggest amnesty in 20 years.
Rights groups describe Pussy Riot, Khodorkovsky and dozens of people charged with violent rioting at last year’s opposition protest in Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square as political prisoners.
Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s richest man, has spent 10 years in prison on charges of tax evasion and embezzlement. Two of the three members of Pussy Riot convicted of hooliganism for a protest in Russia’s main cathedral are now serving two-year prison terms.
Medvedev said Friday that the government should take into account public opinion when deciding who will be covered by the amnesty.
“Our people are not inclined to provide amnesty to those who committed violent crimes, those who committed crimes against society, including hooliganism,” Medvedev said. “People are not inclined to grant amnesty to people who committed state crimes, major embezzlement.”
Russian rights advocates have urged the Kremlin to free political prisoners, but Medvedev denied Russia has any. He said those often called political prisoners are “lucky enough to get in the limelight,” but insisted that “they are not serving time for their political views. They are in prison or in jail because they violated public order.”