Dec 18, 2008

Russian treason bill a throwback to days of Stalin

The days of glasnost in the USSR, when there was less censorship and greater freedom of information, appear to be over.

New legislation backed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (upper picture) would allow Russian authorities to label any government critic a traitor—a move that rights activists said Wednesday was a chilling throwback to times of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Glasnost was put in place in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Gorbachev (lower picture) in the 1980’s.

Vladimir Putin was elected president of Russia in 2000 after Boris Yeltsin suddenly and mysteriously resigned.

Russians have gradually experienced less freedom and more government control Under Putin’s presidency.

This may be the final step back to the Russia of Josef Stalin.

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