The harrasment of Garry Kasparov continues - this week Kasparov was prevented from flying to Samara, venue for this weekend’s EU-Russia summit:
Yesterday Mr Kasparov apparently outdid himself when he was detained at Moscow’s Sheremetevo airport on suspicion of forging his own airline ticket.
It was an elaborate plot, with suspicion falling on all those travelling with Mr Kasparov, including journalists from The Daily Telegraph, the Wall Street Journal and other organisations.
[…] Unable to resort to their favoured method for dealing with peaceful political demonstrations - violence - the authorities were going to have to come up with some other means to stop it going ahead.
Even so, farcical tactics that the administration did employ to keep Mr Kazparov in Moscow were astonishing in their brazenness.
Things started to go awry from the moment we entered the airport. As I placed my bag in the x-ray machine before check-in, a police officer approached me and asked for my passport and ticket, which had been reserved through Mr Kasparov’s office, although the Telegraph had paid for it.
The officer led me to a counter and told me there was a problem: The Aeroflot computer could not read my ticket. It seemed unlikely - he hadn’t even punched my travel details into the keyboard.
Shortly afterwards, Mr Kasparov and his colleagues arrived and was promptly told he would have to check in upstairs. “Why can’t I check in at the check in counter?” he asked - a reasonable enough question in the circumstances.
Airport officials clearly hadn’t worked out their story very well. Some of us were told the flight was overbooked, others that the tickets were unreadable.
If you thought that was ludicrous, read on:
Events turned even more surreal with the appearance of four medical orderlies in white coats, who handed out leaflets claiming that Mr Kasparov and Eduard Limonov, the leader of the radical National Bolshevik Party, were deranged and needed to be committed.
A stunt, it turned out, pulled by members of the Nashi youth wing, set up by the Kremlin to counter the spread of democracy.
The movement would later claim the orderlies had convinced airport staff to keep Other Russia officials off the flight because their madness posed a danger to other passengers.
All those who wanted to travel that day - including the journalists - were barred from flying and sent home, with a warning that they would probably face further investigation.
I’m particularly fascinated that this whole event took place (and directly affected) the world’s media. I can’t make up my mind whether this was intentional, to send a message, or whether they didn’t realise who his travelling companions were until it was too late, and this is a monstrous PR disaster.
May 19th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
What a depressing situation that is Andy. Really immature, dumb, police-state stuff. The Russians really need to give up this nonsense and also to get proper PR advice!) Farcical is absolutely correct.
May 19th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
PR what for? The West hates Russia and will always hate it, there is no need for PR. It is far more important to stop this crazy CIA puppet.
An example of his views
“There will be no peace in Gaza, no freedom from fear in Jerusalem, until we have prosecuted the war on terror in Baghdad, Tehran, Damascus and elsewhere. U.S. leadership saved Europe from fascism and communism. It is again the last hope.“
(Source: THE NEXT BATTLE, The War Is Not Yet Won - Take the offensive against Baghdad and Damascus, Tehran and Riyadh) “
May 20th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
“The Russians really need to give up this nonsense and also to get proper PR advice!) Farcical is absolutely correct.”
****
YUP!
May 21st, 2007 at 9:26 am
I think you have to be a very naive journalist to book your airline ticket through the oppressed opposition leader’s office..
May 21st, 2007 at 9:43 am
Or, alternatively, skilled at playing the odds in search of a scoop…
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:22 am
It should not be forgotten that Mr. Kasparov is institutionally linked to the Wallstreet Journal as well as some other American Outfits, such as — I believe — the New America Foundation.
Furthermore, you may also want to consider how Germany, Austria, France, and Switzerland deal with some marginal political groupings.
IF Limonov showed up there with his ‘flag’, he’d be arrested on the spot for ‘glorification’ and something like that.
As far as suppressing the opposition goes, I think Russia is rather mild-mannered.
Think about this: would you really think that Kasparov, Limonov, and company should run this country?
Does the government overreact? Maybe. On the other hand: I think this country deserves better than having fruitcakes as their Western-recognized opposition.
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:32 am
If I’m not mistaken the New America Foundation includes Anatol Lieven and Michael Lind.
Some in the Russian political mainstream are clumsy when dealing with political oppostion. The former has valid reasons to be concerned about foreign backed peddlers and their willing dupes getting an upper hand after going unchecked. At the same time, people should’ve the right to express themselves within reason.
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:21 am
Ah, it wasn’t the NAF, but some other outfit whose name I have as quickly forgotten as I looked it up.
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:57 am
For accuracy sake, as well as to make a point relative to some recent crackpot comments about moi.