OP-ED

Pavel Baev: Wave of post-referendum repressions makes Russia more dangerous

By Pavel K. Baev.

Published July 14, 2020 at 5:00 am

A woman stands in a line securing social distancing to receive her ballot paper during early voting on constitutional reforms at a polling station at Saint Petersburg's Pulkovo airport on June 25, 2020.

Photo by AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political “triumph” in securing approval for the set of amendments to the constitution in a public vote on July 1 (see EDM, July 2) has brought neither cheerful celebrations nor benevolent rewards to loyal subjects. Instead, the government has begun meting out selective punishments in numerous cases of dissent.