Sept 1- A message from Navalvy
Right now only 46 of Putin's top 200 oligarchs on the Forbes list are under sanctions.
A message from Navalny- August 30, 2022
Hi! Don't laugh, but I'm back in the SHU. They let me out Sunday night, and Monday afternoon they locked me up again, making no secret of the fact that I won't be getting out of this hole again. I finally know what I'm in jail for though! In this regard, a little statement.
So I was locked up for 3 days, then for 5, now for 7 for "incorrect introduction". And this "staircase" will go up to the maximum possible 15 days, and then they'll keep locking me up for 15 more until I "calm down".
The fact is that I am "too politically active for a prisoner". The prisoners' union I created is a source of great irritation: "We didn't put him in jail for him to create labor unions here".
The people on the list are very worried and are demanding measures to be taken to make the ACF (and me personally) "back off".
Their message is: Don't think we're too embarrassed to keep you in the SHU for ridiculous reasons. You want us banned from going to Nice and London? Fine, then you'll not just sit in jail, but on an iron stool in a 2x3 m cell eating nothing but slop.
So, my public answer to everyone at once is that I'm okay with that. I'm not the first, nor will I be the last. You have to pay a price for truth and independence, and I am paying mine. And I'm no worse off than many others, I don't have bombs falling on me here.
I hate this war, and me and my colleagues at the ACF are trying to do something to bring it to an end. Putting pressure on Putin's corrupt elite to the point of splitting it is what we need now.
Right now only 46 of Putin's top 200 oligarchs on the Forbes list are under sanctions. Propagandists calling for murders are taking weekend trips to Berlin.
This situation is absolutely comfortable for Putin's elite - the couple of thousand families for whose prosperity this regime exists and for whose sake Putin is waging this war.
So why should they change anything? Why deny Putin loyalty when even while his hands are up to his elbows in blood, his servants continue to enjoy all the benefits and privileges of Europe, the UK and the USA?
Adoption of the List of 6000 would finally shatter this status quo, put Putin's elite (the broad circle, not the few) to a choice and ultimately split it.
I am grateful for everyone's support and solidarity, but the best gesture of solidarity for me will be your support for the adoption of our List of 6000.
Whoever you are: citizen, journalist, minister or president, lend us a hand and contribute to the punishment of those who deserve to be punished.
One last thing. The SHU is obviously a hellish closet and is utterly unpleasant. But there are more important things in life than comfort. No matter how long I have to sit here, I won't give up on what I believe in or do with my associates in any possible way.
My Comment: Get them on the list
We got great news today: the Italian authorities seized 11 properties of a Russian billionaire Vyacheslav Kantor. He was very well-connected and close to Putin and the Kremlin crowd. Bye bye aperitivo hour.
OCCRP filed a report citing the work of TransCrime: It is estimated that the 34 companies in Italy connected with Russian oligarchs amount to a book value of $2.5 billion.
In order to get more property seized, the Italian authorities are using the EU Magnitsky Act because it doesn’t have a home-grown one. We could do so much more if we did. We’re working on it but it’s a question of political will that is lacking (it has been up to now) and won’t even figure into the political radar because politicians are out campaigning for the Italian general election.
Should the radical right wing coalition win (perhaps even if it were a centre-left future government), we can forget about an Italian Magnitsky Act. There are deep, long-standing ties with Russian economic, financial and industrial interests. Don’t hold your breath.
In general, getting Russian oligarchs, business leaders, politicians, and propagandists on a sanctions list is painstakingly hard work. Advocates need to build a case on the subject under investigation, and present evidence to them someone on a list. Lobbyists in the halls in Brussels and Washington are working even harder to persuade authorities and political representatives not to include their person on a sanctions list.
That’s no excuse: we should be focusing on more than just the 46 top personalities that constitute a threat to our economic, social and physical security. By doing business with Russian entities, we are essentially aiding Russia’s war against Ukraine, and prolonging the pain and destruction.
It’s not just about the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine: it’s about cleaning up the dirt in our own systems- a corrupting influence that dictates domestic and foreign policy- and then building resilience.
Navalny, hang tough. You are a focus for so much international solidarity.