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Ukraine: The New Dictatorship
New York Review of Books ^ | January 18, 2014 | By Timothy Snyder

Posted on 01/19/2014 11:51:53 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee

On paper, Ukraine is now a dictatorship. President Viktor Yanukovych, in having the deputies of his Party of Regions endorse an extraordinary packet of legislation, has arrogated decisive political power to himself. After hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians spent weeks in the cold demonstrating for basic human rights and a stronger association with Europe, the president has responded with a violation of human rights and a rather sad imitation of Russia.

In procedure and content the laws “passed” by the Ukrainian parliament this week contravene the most basic rights of modern constitutional democracies: to speech, assembly, and representation. Although they concern the most basic aspects of political life, and transform the constitutional structure of the Ukrainian state, these measures were not subjected to even the barest of parliamentary procedures. There were no public hearings, there was no debate in parliament, and there was no actual vote. There was a show of hands in parliament and an estimate of how many hands were raised. The standard electronic voting system, which creates an official record, was not used.

The deputies—those who apparently raised their hands—have all but voted themselves out of existence. If the deputies from Yanukovych’s Party of Regions read the legislation, which according to Ukrainian reports they did not, they would realize that their own positions are now under threat. Their parliamentary immunity is now no longer guaranteed, which means that if they vote the wrong way they can be stripped of immunity and prosecuted. Yanukovych’s main political rival, Julia Tymoshenko, is in prison. Her defense lawyer has already been stripped of his parliamentary mandate.

Speaking at all about the Tymoshenko case will now be risky. Actions deemed to “interfere with the work of courts” have been banned. Making remarks of an “offensive” nature about judges is illegal. . .

(Excerpt) Read more at nybooks.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Russia
KEYWORDS: neosovietempire; putinslackey; russia; ukraine; viktoryanukovych
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1 posted on 01/19/2014 11:51:53 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee
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To: Brad from Tennessee

Sounds like Dictator Obama


2 posted on 01/19/2014 11:53:26 AM PST by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: RightGeek

Yeah, it’s the pot’s newspaper calling the kettle black.


3 posted on 01/19/2014 11:55:17 AM PST by Cowboy Bob (They are called "Liberals" because the word "parasite" was already taken.)
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To: Brad from Tennessee
Behold, the enemies of the State.


4 posted on 01/19/2014 11:57:09 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: Brad from Tennessee

Ummmm, hello! What about OBAMA!!!!!


5 posted on 01/19/2014 11:58:10 AM PST by Viennacon
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To: Brad from Tennessee

Barak is jealous that the Ukrainian got it in writing.....


6 posted on 01/19/2014 12:00:39 PM PST by ransomnote
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To: ransomnote

Ahhhh! Obama is divine! He don’t need no steenking writing!!

/BIG FAT SARCASM


7 posted on 01/19/2014 12:03:13 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (The Lion of Judah will roar for you if you give him a big hug and a cheer and mean it. See my page.)
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To: Brad from Tennessee

I wonder how much of a role Putin had in this Ukraine atrocity. Many Freepers often say what a great guy Putin is...I do NOT think so.


8 posted on 01/19/2014 12:06:19 PM PST by what's up
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To: Brad from Tennessee

Beware. This is McCainiac type propaganda from the folks who won’t rest until we are at war with Russia. Ukraine’s Prez is popular and legit. I am very suspicious of these “protestors”.

Remember when McCain’s gangster buddies nearly got us into a war over Georgia?


9 posted on 01/19/2014 12:08:31 PM PST by Forgotten Amendments (I remember when a President having an "enemies list" was a scandal. Now, they have a kill list.)
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To: Brad from Tennessee
It is now illegal to carry out “extremist activities,”

Well, Cuomo just said "extremists" (those who hold prolife, progun and antigay views) have no place in the state of NY.

Sounds very similar to the Ukrainian dictators.

10 posted on 01/19/2014 12:10:42 PM PST by what's up
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To: Forgotten Amendments
Remember when McCain’s gangster buddies nearly got us into a war over Georgia?

Yes, and I remember when McCain’s gangster buddies including Obama, nearly got us into a war over Syrian "rebels".

11 posted on 01/19/2014 12:16:41 PM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
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To: Brad from Tennessee

“There was a show of hands in parliament and an estimate of how many hands were raised. The standard electronic voting system, which creates an official record, was not used.”

Maybe it was “deemed” to have passed, like Pelosi did with Obamacare. And please remind me how legislation is proposed in the EU. It is only proposed by the unelected European Commission. The Euro “parliament” cannot propose legislation. they are a rubberstamp for the EU dictatorship.

The fact is, that EU is not an alternative to people who want to avoid authoritarian unelected rule.


12 posted on 01/19/2014 12:21:31 PM PST by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office.)
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To: Brad from Tennessee
Actions deemed to “interfere with the work of courts” have been banned. Making remarks of an “offensive” nature about judges is illegal. It seems unlikely that truth will be a defense.

What? Are George Zimmerman's Justice Dept. prosecutors working for Ukraine now?

13 posted on 01/19/2014 12:24:37 PM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
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To: Navy Patriot

Everyone wants us to believe that somehow, the lunatic McCain got it right this time. Europe is no friend of the US, or of freedom.

This EU roadshow is nothing buy cynical BS to achieve their goals. And the folks cheering the EU in Ukraine forget, EU was not offering EU membership, or even free travel or immigration to Ukrainians. They don’t like them THAT much.


14 posted on 01/19/2014 12:25:40 PM PST by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office.)
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To: Navy Patriot

“interfere with the work of courts” have been banned. Making remarks of an “offensive” nature about judges is illegal. It seems unlikely that truth will be a defense.”

And the writer might want to check how free you are to speak out in England, Germany, Italy,,etc. In Italy, journalists must speak positively about homosexuality. In England a man was arrested for singing the Kung Fu Fighting song. In Germany there is a list of things that are arrestable for saying,,,,,

But they all get a case of the fainting vapors when Ukraine has a similar law,,,


15 posted on 01/19/2014 12:30:25 PM PST by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office.)
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To: DesertRhino
Europe is no friend of the US, or of freedom.

But will gladly use the US military as unpaid mercs for their EU control of Eastern Europe.

This EU roadshow is nothing buy cynical BS to achieve their goals. And the folks cheering the EU in Ukraine forget, EU was not offering EU membership, or even free travel or immigration to Ukrainians. They don’t like them THAT much.

But they do like 'em for a captive market and debt serfdom.

16 posted on 01/19/2014 12:38:08 PM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
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To: DesertRhino
In Germany there is a list of things that are arrestable for saying,,,,,

Yeah, like "I'll home school my kids."

17 posted on 01/19/2014 12:42:43 PM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
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To: Brad from Tennessee
Maybe this tyrant needs to read the words to the nations anthem.

"Ukraine is not yet dead, nor it's glory and freedom, Luck will still smile on us brother-Ukrainians. Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine, And we, too, brothers, we'll live happily in our land. "

If they can outlive Stalin, the Nazis, and the USSR, then this will be a cakewalk.
18 posted on 01/19/2014 12:56:15 PM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

Thanks Brad from Tennessee.


19 posted on 01/19/2014 2:16:02 PM PST by SunkenCiv (;http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: Forgotten Amendments

There is still a heavy Russian presence in the Ukraine, especially in the Eastern half.


20 posted on 01/19/2014 2:17:42 PM PST by dfwgator
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