Britain’s Channel 4 aired a documentary episode of Dispatches called “Hunted” recently, and the Russian embassy is NOT AMUSED.
But insanely, an unnamed official is claiming that Russian gays aren’t treated any worse than British redheads.
So, just to be clear: according to Human Rights Watch, an organized group of vigilantes is abducting and torturing gay men in Russia under the widely-held belief that LGBTs are pedophiles. They are beaten by mobs in the street. Queer people have lost jobs simply for being queer. For years, police have arrested protestors just for waving rainbow flags. And don’t forget the “propaganda” law: for asserting that you’re in a loving, happy, healthy relationship, you can get arrested and fined.
So… no, not really comparable to anything happening in England.
Nevertheless, the Russian embassy called the documentary “hate propaganda” and “full of distorted facts and unverifiable allegations.”
The embassy also defended the vigilantes, claiming they only target pedophiles, which obviously isn’t true.
You can watch it for yourself here if you’re in the UK. If you’re in America, it’ll take a few more steps to thwart their country-lockout. You’ll either have to pay to use a British VPN, try this Firefox add-on, or find a torrent like you do with HBO.
fagburn
If you read the actual statement from the Russian Embassy – rather than just reprinting trash from right-wing (and perversely otherwise anti-gay) British newspapers, you’ll see that’s not actually what they said.
http://www.rusemblon.org/press/1672
Their point was to condemn anti-gay violence in Russia, and to refute Hunted’s claim that they collude in these attacks, and that the perpetrators are not brought to justice – they are.
How this can be twisted into the opposite speaks volumes about thought control in “democratic” societies.
I’ve never seen such an avalanche of nonsense as has been written about Russia in the last few months.
MK Ultra
LoL, such stupidity from Russia.
“Oy, nyet. It is not possible we have terrorism against gays in Russia, because redheads in the UK are bullied! oh da nyet da da da da DAAAAAAH! net da nyet!”
@fagburn: “Their point was to condemn anti-gay violence in Russia, and to refute Hunted’s claim that they collude in these attacks, and that the perpetrators are not brought to justice – they are”
There is absolutely no proof of that whatsoever. In fact, the inaction of the police proves they collude in these attacks.
DarkZephyr
@fagburn: I have come to the conclusion that you are an idiot. Seriously a naive idiot who believes anything he reads as long as its from an anti-gay source.
fagburn
@DarkZephyr: IRONY KLAXON!
fagburn
@MK Ultra: Apart from the arrests and prosecutions, you mean?
ildargv
@fagburn: are you from Russia yourself? Do you know the guy who lost his eye in person? If not, I am prepared to put you in the picture! If you are willing to listen.
MK Ultra
@fagburn: What arrests and prosecutions? Produce proof.
fagburn
@MK Ultra: Okay, here’s one – that Queerty actually reported!
http://www.queerty.com/antigay-extremist-maxim-martsinkevich-arrested-in-cuba-20140121/
redcarpet
As though vigilantism against pedophiles is all A-ok? All that idea does is show mob (both organized and dis-organized) rule in Russia and highlight a police force and criminal justice system that is ineffectual. If pedophilia is so bad in Russia, why aren’t the cops arresting them rather than these psycho’s?
The answer to that question is it is all a smoke screen for scapegoating and consolidation of power at our expense.
Russia is becoming a comedy of errors. If Putin was wanting to lift his image in the world outside of Russia he has failed miserably.
Cam
I see that once again Fagburn’s racing in to defend whatever anti-gay bigot has been mentioned in the posting.
@fagburn:
oh, and fagburn…if you’re going to lie, please don’t do it when the actual statments and commentary from the Russians is SO easy to find.
“In a statement released yesterday, the embassy accused Channel 4 of producing Hunted in a “specially timed” manner to coincide with the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, and said the program “smacks of well-timed and cynical propaganda.”
So no, actually the Russians deny it and claim it was all a ruse to get at them during the Olympics.
But you are nothing if not predictable are you?
MK Ultra
@fagburn: He wasn’t arrested for anti-gay violence or anything he did to his victims.
His charges were completely unrelated!
fagburn
@MK Ultra: Fine – that never happened then!
What about these three?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/world/europe/homophobia-linked-to-murder-in-russia.html
fagburn
@Cam: Erm, you may want to read the actual statement – the one I cited, not a second-hand distortion…
http://www.rusemblon.org/press/1672
x
Stefano
@fagburn : it is an old news…look at the end of the article :
“Nikolai Alekseyev, a leading gay-rights activist in Russia, told the news agency Interfax that he was afraid that the murder in Volgograd “will be investigated as one caused by a trivial row, and the homophobic motive will gradually disappear from all the documents.” He said activists would push for the inclusion of hatred based on sexual orientation as an aggravating circumstance in violent crimes.
The Volgograd case “demonstrates the fruits of homophobic policy that is being pursued in the country,” Mr. Alekseyev said. “Such crimes will increase in number from year to year unless this policy is changed.””
MK Ultra
@fagburn: It’s great that police investigated THAT murder.
However those murderers have NO CONNECTION whatsoever to the organized vigilante groups that are currently luring, abducting, beating, torturing, raping, and even murdering gay men and youth throughout Russia with complete immunity from the law.
fagburn
Do these ones count?
I’m a bit confused?
http://indrus.in/news/2014/02/03/three_russian_men_convicted_of_brutal_homophobic_murder_32767.html
MK Ultra
@fagburn: Once again, I’m not seeing a connection with the organized vigilante groups that commit their crimes without any anonymity as they don’t fear prosecution.
Right before the Olympics, Russia charged 3 people (out of the hundreds/thousands that do this on a regular basis)in an obvious PR move.
And they will probably go free in a few months.
You still have yet to produce proof that anyone of the 30 vigilante groups whose victims number over 1500 have faced any consequences whatsoever.
Stefano
@MK Ultra : don’t feed the trolls…hate is what makes them stronger…
Cam
@fagburn:
And you keep putting links and not bothering to paste the words actually said. Nice try, and once again, you desperately run to defend the anti-gay bigots wherever possible.
newecreator
Oh Russia… Going back to the dark ages I see.
litper
@fagburn: nasty homophopic apologist of anti-gay terror!
fagburn
@Cam: You really are too silly for words.
x
Deepdow
The largest country in terms of land in the world wants to go unnoticed with all of its shortcomings? Get real. Being the biggest and known for an arsenal of nuclear weapons,a former state communism, mongol hoards and Cossacks only means the rest will look closer – but only when something negative occurs. Aside from science and literature, which aren’t Russia specific, that sovereign nation has never introduced anything to the global world that was a benefit or an enlightenment and it’s not reason its now a rusted out shit hole filled with drug addiction, religious fundamentalism and corruption.
Deepdow
* it’s not the reason it’s
Deepdow
*NOW the reason it’s
krystalkleer
the more airtime to expose anti non homo haters in RUSSIA get…the better! http://getoffmydress.blogspot.com/2014/02/bleedn-hearts-club.html
Deepdow
@krystalkleer:
Better for whom? Who is learning from this? What is getting better?
Explain yourself ><
Cam
@fagburn: said.. “@Cam: You really are too silly for words.”
_______________________
I always find it funny whenever any of you bigotry apologists are asked for anything in depth your only response is to deflect rather than provide any backing.
Sebizzar
I saw the documentary it was about 45 min. It was Youtube but apparently got taken down probably because of this. It made me angry, and it made me cry. I wish more people would see it only because it needs to be exposed, so many people think what’s going on in Russia is “no big deal” because they have no idea how bad it is.