Lex Nokia - You should all be worried

Despite of numerous appeals, demonstrations and strong critisism among the specialists and media (in Finland and abroad), today the Finnish Parliament will put the so called Lex Nokia to the vote in the plenary session.

EDIT: The Government porposal was approved some time ago in a 96-56 vote, with 47 parlamentarians absent.

"Lex Nokia", because the whole idea of the law, let alone big parts of the text itself, has been put together by the reps of the Nokia company.

Also in the Finnish media some high-raking officials in the Finnish ministries have leaked that the Nokia lobbyists have pushed really hard: they have threatened the company would leave Finland if the law is not approved. This is a major scandal already.

And if the law is approved, it will be an even bigger scandal. EDIT: It has been. Unbelievable.

* * *

SO: what is it, actually? The EDRI (European Digital Rights) site calls it "Snooping law and says raison d'être for the bill officially is that it would allow employers to investigate the log data of employees' e-mails, if the company has reason to suspect that corporate secrets are leaking out of the company or that the employer's communication networks are being misused. The employer would not be allowed to read the content of the messages themselves, however. The bill has been dubbed "Lex Nokia" because it was sparked in 2006 by an announcement by prosecutor Jukka Haavisto that Nokia had been illegally monitoring contact information of its employees' e-mail in 2000 to 2001.


Please bear in mind that the "company" mentioned above does not mean just a business, ie. not just enterprises with employers and employees, BUT just anyone running a collective or communal internet service. The controlling party running the net services in question can be a hospital, school, university, library...

Second most important thing: snooping does not just mean the log data of e-mails, it refers also to the log data of the employee's/ web user's/ customer's/ student's/ patient's/ recident's web traffic: which sites is s/he visiting most frequently?

Some company could use it to prevent secret business inventions to be sold to other parties, yes, but it could be used for other, much gloomier purposes.

The controller could find out - even by interpreting the log data - if the employee/ web user/ customer/ student/ patient/ recident is
* an extremist (defined by the government)
* a dissident (defined by the both government and himself)
* homosexual
* practising some strange religion/ a Satanist/ the only Cristian among Satanists
* a native speaker of urdu
* someone who's homeland is Tibet/ in Caucasus/ not where the others think it is
* whatever,

the information in some context could be harmful, even damaging for the web user, and perhaps for others, too.

If only the controller should wish to use it, like sell it forward, give it under pressure to other parties, or store the information carelessly. There are possibilities.

* * *

If this law is approved, Finland will be moving towards the kind of future all dictators & unfair and perhaps even unstable societies without freedom of expression would love. EDIT: Hello, Putin, Il Jong, Gazprom, Shell, Monsanto, the Turkmen Kreml, Lukashenka, and all your friends: These air-heads in Finland have smoothened your way. Now come here and get a copy of the text. You can do what you do legally.

Kurt Vonnegut, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick. They knew what was really going to happen.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, he wrote about what had happened when the society had all the means of controlling its subjects (not "citizens").

* * *

The Lex Nokia law has got blessing from Constitutional Law Committee.

Therefore, the legislative proposal is presented to Parliament in the pleanary session. Today.

If the Parliament is to approve this law, it will be sent to the President of the Republic for ratification.

Strange. The law is so compilicated the Constitution should be re-written. According to the website of the Parliament of Finland a bill regarding the Constitution must first be approved by a simple majority of votes on its second reading. The bill is then left in abeyance until after the next general election. The newly elected Parliament continues discussion of the bill and must approve the bill by a two-thirds majority of votes in order for it to become law. However, a bill regarding the Constitution need not wait until after the next general elections if it is declared urgent by a five-sixths majority of votes.

I don't understand how this proposal has moved even this far. But hopefully not any further from here.

See the anti-ad in You Tube. The text "SUOMEN PERUSTUSLAKI" on the cover of the book means "the Constitution of Finland".

(The ones who understand Finnish, please see the site of Electronic Frontier Finland and the FAQ.)

Philip K. Dick (1928–1982), one of the greatest science fiction writers in the world. On the right. The manuscipts of Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report were based on his novels and short stories.

Finncon 2008

M. John Harrison. Farah Mendlesohn. Charles Vess. And Cheryl Morgan, in Finland again! She has written an excellent report on the con, please see this entry in her blog. (And THANKS, Cheryl, for you beautiful words!)

Lots of splendid presentations, 7000 participants, anime fans in strange costumes, discussions, signings, scifi fandom dressed in black as usual, cat ears, meeting friends – old and new ones – in beer sessions in bars or in the countryside with or without sauna...

And the sunny city of Tampere. What more could you ask for in a literary get-together?


M. John Harrison in the Lenin Museum, Tampere. The only Lenin museum in the world.


Petri Hiltunen analyzing War. Definitely.


M. John Harrison, Edward James and Charles Vess waiting for their turn to go to sauna. Ladies went first.


Mr and Mrs Guest of Honor. And guess what it is behind them, a small hut down the hill? Sauna, of course.

The Finnish Sauna

Wherever I spend my weekends or holidays in Finland, I never fail to go to sauna, and I always swim, if there's just some water nearby. (Usually there is.)

"In the sauna wear your birthday suit. Nakedness is natural. Sweating makes swimsuits uncomfortable.

There are no exact rules of behaviour but the ritual is meant to be relaxing. Hurry and noise are out of the question and so is reckless competition about who stands heat best.

It is a good idea to begin with a wash or shower; a seat towel for the hot room is also useful.

The temperature should be 80-90°C; ten minutes at a time will be enough. Air humidity is regulated by ladling small doses of water onto the stove stones. Warming up and cooling off can be repeated as many times as feels good. Whisking adds to the pleasure."

These pictures are from a summer cottage in the middle of the lake Päijänne.

1. Approach the sauna.


"The basic sauna ritual is the same as it always was: warming up, sweating, taking löyly vapour and whisking, washing and cooling off. Cooling off nowadays often includes swimming. Many people like to cool off in the open air, and there are also brave ones who want to roll in the snow or take a dip in the sea or lake through a hole in the ice."

2. Take your clothes off and get in. (If you feel very dirty you might want to swim at first too, like I usually do.)



3. Go swimming. Then go back to sauna. Then swim again. And go back. And so on.


"Sauna bathing does not only clean the body but also purifies the mind. The bather's frame of mind after a leisurely relaxed sauna ritual could be best described as euphoric. It is like a rebirth; all unpleasant feelings fall away and you feel at peace with the whole world. This is what Finns mean by the care of the soul received in the sauna."

4. Admire the view, as it must be late evening or night when you finish with the bathing.


5. Tomorrow it will be a new day! Start heating the sauna (starting time depending on the type of sauna: sauna with a chimney, smoke sauna, or sauna for continuos heating), so it'll be ready in the evening again.


The quotes with facts are from the site of the Finnish Sauna Society.

The Finnish Countryside

Despite of my over-booked summer schedules consisting of work, humanitarian duties, festivals, travels, parties and celebrations, I was able to get here for a longer weekend.

Clever Mr HP had a slightly longer country holiday with miss Funnybunny.

The front yard. Needs more flowers, and there's plenty behind the fence.


Miss Funnybunny's gazebo.


...and one of the five corners of it.


Sauna by the river.


Lauhanvuori national park.

On Ignorance

A scandal in Finland: The Parliamentarians (especially representing the Center Party and Coalition) are not interested in who has financed their campaigns (before the last elections).

Needless to say, they have not published the sources of the money flow. According to the Finnish legislation, they should give public the name of the briber, sorry, the name of the benevolent person or company, if the sum exceeds 1 700 euros, but according to the same law, since there is no punishment for an MP for not making it public, "what's the point?", they seem to be thinking.

"Not interested", not even when that have received thousands of euros from the "private sector", who of course, "have a right" to spend their money "however they wish.

That's crap. Not the right to spend, but the lack of eagerness for knowing. Of course they are both interested and very eager to know. (What if they received money from porn industry or drug trade?)

And later on these bought politicians will enthusiastically support the wishes of the certain "private sector".

Among these ignorant servants of the public is our Prime minister Vanhanen.

* * * * *

Another thing, this one being from Helsingin Sanomat, too:

"Citizens of Finland, Sweden, and Estonia are very worried about the state of the Baltic Sea. According to a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by Suomen Gallup, 94% of Finns, 91% of Estonians, and 83% of Swedes see pollution of the sea as a problem that urgently needs to be addressed.

In Finland and Sweden about 40% of respondents feel that the problem is extremely serious, and are calling for immediate action on the matter. More than a third of Estonians feel the same way."

But when some Moscovites were interviewed – well, they do live far from the sea, but nonetheless – they seemed to be most worried of the fact that the Baltic is so cold.

Great Drama At the Finnish Parliament. Good Bye, Fish Fingers!

Eduskuntatalo. The center of the drama over Pieces of Fish.


* * * * *

Fish fingers. Kids' all-time favourites.


But Fish fingers mean also the style of moustache, idolised by some Finnish (luckily male) members of the Parliament.

Let me go through this once again:

1) Some guys working for the Finnish Parliament, including some male MP's, have recently been accused of sexual harassment.

2) This accusation of some men giving hard time to female workers leaked out of the parliament when a memo on assessment of working circumstances was published.

3) Well, as expected, the MP's who were (thought to be) among the worst ones quickly claimed in public they are totally innocent, and that "women just do not understand the local kind of humour". As if in the rural areas they come from (and they come from various parts of Finland) the women there were just idiots.

Older ones also said "women have changed", and they (the men) are "just old-fashioned blokes with an old-fashioned sense of humour".

Denying, and minimizing the act: "it was nothing".

4) Some of these explanations were very embarrassing. Those arrogant men lacked consideration and understanding. Some humble but straight-forward act of claiming "there is a problem and we all must work on solving it" might have looked much better. (I am not saying they would have sincerely ment that. But gee, I would make a perfect PR manager, wouldn't I?))

But no. The crumbling attempts to trying to explain the bad behaviour were as a matter of fact revealing the accused do not even respect neither the case, nor the women behind it. This made most women – including women outside the parliament – think the insensitive men conserned MUST have done what they are accused of, no matter how much verbal effort they put into finding the way out.



5) In public the evening press leaked the female workers of the parliament call that ugly style of moustache "fish fingers".

6) The (still male) MPs who have fish fingers above their upper lip said they are very offended now. VERY offended.

"Fish fingers" finally made it.

...and what had happened today:

7) Little birds sang that the fish fingers on the menu of the lunch bar at the Parliament were now called "Pieces of Fish" instead.

So fish fingers are now banned inside the Finnish parliament.

EDIT: Banned from the menu only, unfortunately.

* * * * *

...ja sama suomeksi: kalapuikot olivat Eduskunnan ruokalistalla "kalan paloja" Huimaa!

Vodka Tourists

Finnish actor and the leading man in the show, Ville Haapasalo is – where? In Helsinki, of course.


I am watching a Finnish documentary on "Vodka Tourists" (Votkaturistit), title referring to the Finns who had a habit of visiting Russia, especially St Petersburg and Viborg, for a weekend (but several times a year) in 70'–80's. And who used to consume vast amounts of vodka. This was suggesting the Finns were living under prohibition.

And they swapped a pair of pantyhose for vodka. And bought vodka. And sex. And more and more vodka.

Well, the topic was most interesting, but this doc barely scratched the surface. They could have found so much, much more...

St Pete is an endless source of good stories.

****

By the way, an interview of and article on our friend Oksana Chelysheva is in this week's Me naiset, a Finnish ladies' weekly. Everybody in Finland, check that out!

Helsinki, on Christmas Eve.

Back to the snowless Christmas, before it really is over...

Some ships do not rest.


The Town hall with Christmas lights.


The Reindeer House are on holiday.


I hope we have everything...

Martti's Fair: Estonia visiting Finland

Miss Funnybunny is somewhere in – sorry, on – Narva, Ida-Virumaa... Or perhaps she's not quite there yet, but around Rakvere, as it seems...


Tervist! Martti's Fair, Martin markkinat, is the annual fair representing Estonian culture, in Kaapelitehdas (Cable Factory), organised by Tuglas society. That's the main organisation in Finland garding the relationships between the Finnish and Estonian cultural bodies and people. With Mr HP and Miss Funnybunny we were able to attend Martin markkinat for the first time, as during the previous years we have always been abroad at the time. And before some time, we did not have many items of Estonian origin for sale, but that's different now.

I'm glad we were able to make it this time. It was great. Lots of nice people, some thousands, even; interesting cultural discussions – and so very good Estonian food! (Like sausages. Mr HP is loves sausages. He bought kilos of different kinds. But I am a cheese person. And yes, I bought kilos, too.)


...and there she is now, Miss Funnybunny selling artistic postcards, with her new Estonian friends! In the meantime her mother is selling books, and chatting with Jaan Kaplinski. And with his translators and hosts. And with the Tuglas guys. And with Imbi Paju, who was quite content as her film is now in DVD distribution. Have you seen Memories Denied? Go get it at once. (I will add a link to the DVD once I find out from where it can be purchased.)


These ladies are from Setu (Setumaa), they are "setukainen" (setukaisia). Setuland is in the most Southeastern corner of Estonia. And they also sang. (I have a friend from Setu, and she sings all the time. All the time.) The Setu in Estonia are a lot like our Carelians.


Hand-made Estonian fashion with ancient flavors spicing up the greyish entity. Mmmmm I could wear that, maybe...


Teretulemas, next year again!

Saddest Surprise

Last week Helsinki was so sad and grey – like the whole Finland.



A young (18-year-old), desperate man got crazy and killed nine people including himself at school in Jokela, quite near Helsinki.




This has been an exceptionally shocking massacre for some reasons in particular: because it was a massacre, because the murderer was so young, because he had claimed to be a "fan" of the Columbine murderers (or at least accepting what they did), because he had written about his plans and published the texts in the net in advance (had even received comments), and because all this took place at school.

And because all this took so many people by surprise.

The ones in power who have been opposing funding (mental) health care of the young with public, tax-payers' money, they are really to blame here. The growing number of suffering teenagers, and even younger ones, has been discussed for decades, and yet, the situation has not improved significantly. Probably even worstened – but that is difficult to say, despite this catastrophy.

The internet does not kill anyone. The crazy and depressed people do. But the internet can still have some alienating impact in young people's minds. The lonely and the sad can get even more estrangered by accessing really violent and terrifying material.



Perhaps the key is not to leave anyone so totally alone.


But now I sincerely hope the media will stop enjoying the crisis for a while. Otherwise it will be nearly impossible for the youngsters in Jokela to continue with their lives.

Books, Wine and Food? Or Books and Sauna (+ Beer).

According to the press release of the Helsinki Book Fair,

Books, wine and food draw visitors to the Helsinki Fair Centre

Booklovers and wine & food buffs were pampered with a twin event at the Helsinki Fair Centre over the weekend. The seventh Helsinki Book Fair was accompanied by the new Wine, Food & Good Living event, which was organised by the wine magazine Viini. The two events attracted a total of 68,500 visitors...

*****

We, a group of six women, enjoyed the Fair and the Sauna, like last year.

Swimming in candle light, can you imagine? But a good, hothot sauna first, with good company, afterwards beer, or cider, like some (others) preferred.

This sauna belongs to some trade union hot-shots, in the book fair area, Pasila. Perhaps this has already become our tradition?



*****

Something reminded me of the first Helsinki Book Fair which took place in 2001. Then Ian Rankin, my idol, visited. (I met Rankin in Reykjavik, in 2006!!!! Take a look at this and this.)

But I happened to come by a very funny Rankin interview in the net. I quote just a few bites here, enjoy:

Are you a practical joker?

– Now and then. When some friends were away once, I stole a 'For Sale' sign and put it up next to their house as a homecoming gift. But practical jokes take effort, and these days I try to keep all effort to a minimum....

What would be a perfect weekend for you?

Perfect weekend: out on the bevvy (alcohol) with some pals, maybe hit some record shops, go see a football match, then sober up in the evening, a bath and a shave, and out for a meal with my wife. That's the Saturday. Sunday, I'd stay in bed late, then assassinate the royal family.

Are there any movies you have seen that have left a real lasting impression on you?

I don't know. Instead, here are some films I love: The Godfather, Goodfellas, The Big Chill, Toy Story, Singles, Terminator, Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner....

*****


The Big Chill, where did that come from? Well, nonetheless, it is an extremely good film. I have loved it for decades. Haven't thought about it for years. A Lawrence Kasdan film, directed in 1983, with the Kasdan gang, like William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, Kevin Kline + Meg Tilly, sweet...

Anna Politkovskaya Events. Her legacy is not fading.

Sunday the 7th of Oct is Vladimir Putin's birthday. This date will be remembered forever because that's when the respected journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya was murdered, in 2006.

*****

I still remember the agony when hearing about her assasination. It was a beautiful Saturday in Frankfurt. Had just discussed about her in a short, informal meeting at the Book Fair. Later sitting alone by Zeil, the busiest shopping street, waiting for a Finnish Newsagency to call and ask for a comment. Calling Mr HP (who was there in Frankfurt but not with me at the shopping inferno) who was in tears on the phone. Trying to think about something to say to the journos. Watching CNN with pictures of Anna's murderer, thinking out loud "the guy with the cap does not look like a Chechen at all". Looking forward to coming home. Calling miss Funnybunny, who saw "auntie Anna" on TV many times during the following days. Or weeks.

*****

In several countries there will be anniversary events taking place on Sunday. In Helsinki, we will gather at Koko-teatteri, Unioninkatu 45, at 6 pm. The program on stage is more artistic than political (music, poetry, prose), but I'm quite sure political issues will be discussed afterwards at the bar of Koko, by several active people; Finnish friends and readers of Anna's, and other people interested in Russian issues.

About Russian anniversary events I will report more soon once I get the more detailed info.

What I do know for sure is that both in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod Anna's legacy will be honoured by beautiful, peaceful and respectful events.

*****

Anna Politkovskaya at the Finnish Bookstore, Suomalainen kirjakauppa, in Helsinki 2003.


"Minä kirjoitan mitä näen."
TAITEELLINEN ILTA ANNA POLITKOVSKAJALLE

sunnuntaina 7.10. kello 18 KOKO-teatterissa, os. Unioninkatu 45 (Pitkänsillan lähellä).
Liput viisi euroa.

Ohjelmassa musiikkia, runoja ja tietysti Politkovskajan tekstejä. Esiintyjinä nuoria suomalaisia muusikoita, Koko- ja Klockrike-teattereiden väkeä ja ihmisoikeusaktivisteja. Kerromme myös tuoreimmat terveiset ihmisoikeusaktivisteilta ja Annan ystäviltä Venäjältä. Sielläkin muistetaan Annaa samaan aikaan.

Illanvietto kestää vähän alle puolitoista tuntia. Tilaisuuden järjestää Suomen PEN.
Tervetuloa!

LIPPUVARAUKSET KOKO-teatteriin:
GSM 050 321 9919, p. (09) 278 4820
toimisto@kokoteatteri.fi

*****

”Jag skriver det jag ser”
MINNESKVÄLL FÖR ANNA POLITKOVSKAJA

söndagen den 7.10 klockan 18 på KOKO-teatteri, Unionsgatan 45 (nära Långa bron). Biljetter fem euro.

På programmet står musik, dikter och naturligtvis Politkovskajas egna texter. De framförs av unga finländska musiker, skådespelare från Kokoteatteri och Klockriketeatern samt människorättsaktivister. Vi får också hälsningar av människorättsaktivister och Annas vänner i Ryssland. Också i Ryssland hedrar man Annas minne samtidigt som vi gör det.

Evenemanget räcker knappt en och en halv timme. Arrangör är Finlands PEN.

Välkommen!

---end---

No films in 2009?

"Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by employees to perform work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances." Thus spoke Wikipedia.

The Finnish producers have stated today that if they will not get more governmental funding – since the financial support has remained the same for a decade or so but production costs have expanded – they will refuse to finish the newest films, due to be released in 2008–2009.

According to the producers they have been promised the increase, while Minister of Culture, Stefan Wallin is denying this.



Very brave but risky tactics. And there is a good reason behind it.

But it's risky. See. If a cleaning ladies, or people who collect the trash, stopped working, the whole society would break down.

If the elderly ladies who take care of both the museums and toilets stopped working in Russia, the Kremlin would collapse in days. All the artefacts would be stolen and Moscow would drown in pee.

But when the Finnish film producers stop, the results are not to be seen in 2009!

Still, I do wish them luck!

Film producers attack the funding of the Finnish National Opera. One opera ticket is supported with much bigger amounts of money compared to the film tickets. (20 times more, an opera ticket is supported with 160 euros, the producers say.) And I am not that much into opera. I mean, I like opera music, I really do, but why does that overrated institution have to be so heavy and expensive? Is some kind of a smaller scale opera an impossibility?

Please don't give me that "the money to the opera is not film industry's loss". Yes, the money is tax payers' money. ANY money spent ANYWHERE is someone else's loss. Different goals where to use money can and should be at times put to the same line for closer look.

Opera is not that Finnish or anything as an institution that I'd say it definitely must be supported, no matter what. (We have some great singers, sure.)



And the Opera building is ugly. Never skip that. (I liked the old, little place much better. But I have heard, in several occasions, that it was a nightmare for the artists who Worked there.)

Keep remembering it ain't over until the fat lady sings.

BTW. Did you know that it is also illegal for an employee of the United States Federal Government to strike. Interesting. So the Federal Government must be a trustworthy employer then?

Helsinki, With Love

Helsinki train station two weeks ago. A friend of ours, especially Miss Funnybunny's, OC heading back to Moscow. And from there to Nizhny Novgorod.


Dear Friends in Nizhny, I hope you are fine. Or better, at least.

For you and for all the friends who miss Helsinki, please welcome my best regards in a video format.

Even if this amazing work of art is (more than) a bit hysterical, its hilarious and generous attitude is somewhat touching.

Attention. The King has left the lake.

"Poor guy. I'm so sorry for him. Poor, poor guy. You can see he is the king. And now we are going to eat him. We eat him, we who already have so much..."

Mr HP. felt so bad. He was a beautiful fish. HP and TN caugh him in their net. Päijänne fish, the absolute best there can be. From clear, clean waters, Central Finland.

(I must add Mr HP is more than a little buddhist. Constantly afraid of bad karma. But aren't we all?)


Perch is beautiful. And delicious.


Fishermen's pleasures.


And then they tried to get some more!

The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum 2007. Thanks, everybody!

"I believe that in ten years things have changed for the better. That the civil society has by then won over the bureaucracy."
–– Lyudmila Alekseeva, Helsinki Conference & the Other Russia movement, Moscow


Alexander Mnatsakanyan in the boat. And the Finnish flag.




Panel on Freedom of the Media. Or the media not being so free. Andrey Kolomoisky, Alexander Mnatsakanyan, Grigori Pasko and Andrei Nekrasov.



"I have been a journalist for over 30 years. I started when Brezhnev was in power. And I could have never thought the day would come when a journalist is shot to death in an elevator at her home building".
–– Grigori Pasko, journalist, Moscow

Grigori Pasko



A big audience. On a hot summer day. In an island, far from the pleasures of Helsinki. Can you imagine?



"Once again, it is impossible for the opposition to really participate in these [upcoming presidential] elections".
Oksana Chelysheva, Vice Chairperson of the Russian-Chechnyan Friendship Society


Mariana Katzarova and Oksana Chelycheva



"Times are changing. Everybody around Putin want to have changes, too. And things are not stable right now. But only the future will show how the changes will be like".
–– Yulia Malysheva, Chairperson of the Popular-Democratic Youth League, and the Other Russia Movement

Yulia Malysheva being interviewed by the Finnish television.



"It [the war in Chechnya] in not 'war against terrorism'. It is terrorism. Against innocent civilians".
–– Ivar Amundsen, Chechnya Peace Forum, London

Friends taking some time off. Aaron Rhodes and Ivar Amundsen discussing in the front, while others like Katzarova, Hicks, Chelysheva, Matinpuro, Harju, Sailo and IStori having their own funny talks.



"There is also a huge on-going environmental catastrophy in Chechnya. And these problems can not be solved in some small round-table meeting. That's why we have created the All-Russian Civic Congress. Please help us in every political level and fora – in the EU, everywhere".
–– Ruslan Kutaev, All-Russian Civic Congress and advisor of the late Chechnyan president Aslan Maskhadov. Grozny, Chechnya

Ruslan Kutaev met a Finnish fan. Who looks very Chechnyan, she was told.




"[the Russian] People don't see the connection between how they vote and what takes place after the elections. Most people think their personal safety is depending on their families, not on the state".
–– Alexander Nikitin, Bellona, St. Petersburg

Oksana Chelysheva, Lyudmila Alekseeva, Alexander Nikitin, Dmitry Lanko and Yulia Malysheva. And the Rule of Law.




"I just want to live in a normal European country where people are free and not tortured".
–– Andrei Dmitriev, editor in chief, Agency of Political News

Our dear bolsheviks. Andrei Dmitriev, Zahar Prilepin and Alexei Volynets are soon heading home, what a pity...



The sad fact that Lyudmila Alekseeva is leaving is not making Ruslan Kutaev laugh. It must have been just something she said.



*********


Million thanks to our guests and co-organisers. It was great to make new friends – and to see some old ones again.

And very special thanks to Asman & her troops for the wonderful Chechnyan food!

(To see the list of speakers, please take a look at a the previous blogging on this below.)