From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 12/27/2007 9:34 PM
4.12.2007 00:40 MSK
Gosduma is not legitimate
Statement from the "Defense" movement
The "Defense" movement does not recognize the results of the December 2 parliamentary "elections". Severe legislative restrictions, inequality of participants, administrative actions and an unprecedented scale of falsification—these are the methods by which "United Russia" and Vladimir Putin have attempted to prolong their authority.
Changes introduced into election legislation in recent years has left out many political forces, and made many others dependent on the actions of the authorities. These changes include legislation concerning an increase in the minimum number of parties, the 7% election barrier, the prohibition of blocs, new "anti-extremist" laws, the cancellation of the "against all" rule, a threshold on voters, new rules on the election of governors and the prohibition of the independent observers. Some of these laws have already transformed the elections into a screen behind which the authorities can quietly manipulate the results of Russian politics.
During the entire pre-election campaign we witnessed a massive brainwashing campaign conducted by "United Russia" under the management of Vladimir Putin. Enormous means, including budgetary, were spent on advertisements, twenty-four hour propaganda on state television channels, the creation of a new personality cult, and servile demonstrations "For Putin" organized by the authorities. All this to convince people that there was no alternative to the party in authority and no sense in fighting it.
At the same time any criticism from the opposition was severely put down. The authorities used the dirtiest methods: the withdrawal of oppositional writings, shadowing, threats, the detention and attack of opposition activists, the coercion of people into voting and into joining "United Russia", the prohibition of Marches of Dissent, the arrests of hundreds of participants in peaceful actions, and many others tactics. The "victory" of Vladimir Putin was forged by hundreds of thousands of FSB officers, Special Forces, the UBOP, judges, and officials at different levels, who suppressed their own people instead of protecting them. The elections themselves were marked by a scale of falsification and manipulation unprecedented in the recent history of Russia. These included general manipulation of certifications, pressure and straight bribery of voters, and observers from the opposition being moved away from voting areas. The scale of the machinations carried out with the participation of the members of the Election Commissions, shows that Election Committees actually worked for the Victory of one party - "United Russia" - and one candidate - Vladimir Putin.
In such "elections" there can be no confidence. The "parliament" elected through them cannot be considered legitimate. The laws passed by them will represent not the interests of Russian society, but of the group of high officials and new oligarchs who have actually usurped authority in Russia.
http://www.prima-news.ru/eng/news/articles/2007/12/4/39731.html