Kasparov Forked

From the BBC:

"Police moved in when protesters tried to march to the election commission, which had barred Other Russia candidates from next week's election."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7110910.stm

From FoxNews:

"The protesters were demanding an end to the authoritarian rule of President Vladimir Putin."

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Nov24/0,4670,RussiaProtestMarch,00.html

From the NY Times:

"In a statement, Mr. Kasparov said the court proceedings had been “a choreographed farce from beginning to end.” He added, “It was a symbol of what has happened to justice and the rule of law under Putin.” "

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/world/europe/25russia.html?ex=1353646800&en=fe1218488dd9f149&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink


Putin cannot serve a third term in office, nor does he plan too. He is however setting himself up a nice cushy seat in the parliment and a successor who follows his ideology. Im not sure exactly what the protest was about, other than we hate Putin and want him gone even earlier than planned. He is a remarkably poor President/Dictator that has tanked relations with the US and the Russian people while choosing Iran as a good friend. His mafia style rule has set the country back decades. The best that can be said is that he held the country together during tough times. However, a steady, consistent, popular change is needed to steer Russia back to a moral political path. The best change comes from the inside and he should serve out his term. This was a bad move by Kasparov and an even worse move by Putin.


UPDATE: Kasparov has been jailed for five days (starting saturday) for leading an 'unauthorized march.' (Note the scare quotes they are intentional)

UPDATE: "Kasparov was convicted of organizing an unsanctioned procession, chanting anti-government slogans and resisting arrest after Saturday's protest, held eight days before parliamentary elections."

"In an appeal heard Monday, Kasparov argued that he had followed police orders and was illegally detained. He also cited contradictory testimony from police officers, who told the court in Saturday's hastily organized trial that they had been ordered before the rally to arrest Kasparov, one of Putin's fiercest critics."