Missing Moscow

Russia, EU Spar Over Human Rights

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: February 6, 2009
Filed at 1:14 p.m. ET

MOSCOW (AP) -- The EU's top executive angered Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday by raising concerns about the murders of Russian human rights activists and journalists while standing beside him at a news conference. Their acrimonious exchange came after meetings intended to improve European Union-Russian relations.

At a international social event this week I was talking with two old friends, both Russian ex-pats. One would never go back, even for a visit, the other wants to go, but visa issues may make it difficult.

I visited Russia more than a few times between 1997 and 2004, when a very close friend was working there. One of the ex-pats asked me if I had any plans to go back. I told her I would love to, but most of the folks I knew there have left. My two closest American friends have left..one of them was a top officer at Yukos and even thought he had married a Russian girl and wanted to stay, finally decided that the pressure from the State was too much.

The other published an English language newspaper for ten years, but it was shut down by the government last summer and he has relocated to NYC. A Russian friend was jailed by the government on false charges and almost died in prison before finally being released last month after obtaining a judgement from the European Court of Human Rights.

When I used to visit, folks thought the danger was from the Mafia (which never really was the case depending on who you knew).) Now the danger is from the government.