Russian ‘Anarchists’ Face Prison for STD Ad Mocking Putin, Medvedev
- Posted on August 30, 2011 at 5:19pm by
Buck Sexton
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A group of Siberian anarchists added pictures of Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, and other politicians to an STD advisory in Barnaul, Russia, and now they could spend seven years in prison for the prank.
The incident happened back in February, but prosecutors in charge of the investigation have only recently decided to seek criminal “hooliganism” charges against the pranksters.
The public service announcement billboard originally read “Do you need such companions?” and under the slogan were images of STDs like gonorrhea, candida, and ureaplasma, depicted as monsters.
But the pranksters who, according to Russian authorities are “members of the radical Antifa organization,” added a row of disease-photos personified by politicos. According to the Moscow Times, the altered poster showed Russia’s top political players in a distasteful light, including:
“A ghastly white President Medvedev, a light green Prime Minister Putin and similarly ill-looking likenesses of Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Altai Governor Alexander Karlin.”
This is not the first time that images of Putin and Medvedev have been doctored for humorous — even satirical — effect. Over the past year, images have been posted around Moscow that play with the larger-than-life personas of Putin and Medvedev.
In July, a poster of current Russian President Medvedev morphed into Captain America (or “Captain Russia” as the caption read) appeared on Moscow streets. Instead of Captain America’s iconic shield, Medvedev was holding an apple computer.
There have also been posters on Moscow’s streets showing Putin as James Bond, and a dapper duo of Putin and Medvedev on their way to play tennis.
In those cases, Russian authorities demanded the posters be removed, and they were. No criminal charges have yet been filed, but Putin is well-known for taking legal action against anyone who uses his image without permission.
In an ominous preview of the recent decision to criminally prosecute the STD posters, Putin’s spokesperson at the time said of the James Bond mockup that “we don’t know who is behind this, but this action borders on hooliganism.”
Watch this video for an overview of the Captain America Images and the Kremlin’s response to them, Courtesy of Reuters:
The draconian reaction of Russian authorities to humorous depictions of political leadership appear deeply rooted in current Russian political trends, which have been moving away from freedom of the press.
Putin and Medvedev’s images are constantly promoted by the Kremlin, in ways that can entertain outside observers, but may also resonate with the Russian voting public. Putin’s United Russia Party is preparing for a big win this December when early elections are scheduled to be held.
The former Russian President — and international man of mystery with bear-like strength – could soon regain power in an increasingly confident and regionally assertive Russian Federation in 2012.
As the Kremlin appears determined to link Putin’s image with the new rise of the Russian Bear, its citizens have been put on notice not to take their right to freedom of expression too seriously.
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the point
Posted on August 31, 2011 at 10:05amI,ll bet oblameo is wishing he could do the same over here . He’s most likely working on it .
Report Post »Endstatism
Posted on August 31, 2011 at 4:37amThe term “hooliganism” is a old Soviet phrase for dissent against the government. The old authoritarianism is back except the leaders dress in tailored suits instead of bemedalled tunics and knee high boots.
Report Post »CaffeineJunkie
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 9:40pmNo, Vlad, the Flying Penis gag borders on Hooliganism. Putin doesn’t get mad. He gets even. He’s also never forgiven the U.S. for what we did to them (Former Soviet Union) in Afghanistan! I say we put secret spy cameras on every traffic light in Moscow.
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 9:30pmNote to BLAZE Webmaster: Comment section needs a grammar checker in addition to the spelling checker ;-)
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 9:23pmTheoretically possible phone conversation after King Barry I finishes rearing the above story on the Blaze.
King Barry: Eric, Barry here. Did ya see what Vlad did to those protesters who made fun of him?
Report Post »Atty. Gen.: Why yes Barry, I sure did.
King Barry: Do we have a law so I can get you to arrest those people always making fun of me?
Atty. Gen.: No we don’t Barry, and I don’t think we can get one while the Tea Party has so many seats.
King Barry: How about it if we win back the house?
Atty Gen.: We could try but it may be unconstitutional.
King Barry: Well D#@^%, those D#@^% old white slave owners have done it to me again.
Atty. Gen.: Well, you could make an executive order against it…….you could call it a “Hate Crime”.
King Barry: That sounds great Eric, I knew I put you in that office for SOMETHING. Yet right to it!
Atty. Gen: Very well Mr. President, first thing in the morning right after I clear my desk of all these guns that never made it to Mexico after they caught us shilling them down South.
willnotbackdown
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 9:21pmHumm, the Nazi’s started a war that killed 45million 9 million in camps and we had to chase them down. The communists start countless wars, kill 25 to 40 million in just Russia and our press makes no call for justice. I think we know that our press is not for freedom or justice it for the most part is just a left wing tool.
Report Post »heyjim55
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 8:55pmThe Russian political class is thin skinned when it comes to this stuff, when Putin was first elected President a Russian TV station had a cartoon skit of Putin waking up on ground hogs day in which everything was the same. The skit was well done and very funny, Putin saw it on TV and personally came to the studio and called a meeting then telling the staff that if the wanted to see their famlies again they will stop showing this cartoon. The TV station complied and then was promtly shut down by the Russian Federation a week later. Putin also likes to send nasty messages to his opponets Gary Kasparov once attended a political rally and in the middle of a speech Putin alledgedly had someone release a flying replica of a penus that flew around the room of course everyone laughed except Kasparov he thought it had a explosive in it and ducked behind a podium.
Report Post »CaffeineJunkie
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 9:10pmThat’s awesome! Awesome!!!
Report Post »momsense
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 7:31pmSorry to say, but thats the way to handle anarchists. They don’t respect OUR laws, why should they benefit by them?
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:49pmAt least here in the USA we are free to infect inferior countries peoples with STDs.
U.S. researchers knowingly breached medical ethics by infecting Guatemalans with venereal diseases in the 1940s without informing them of the risks, a presidential commission has found.
Report Post »damonater
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:49pmall green on the outside communist red on the inside ,or a watermellon can you name some like al gore nacy polosi and so on
Report Post »mule creek ridge
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:45pmThe Bear never died!! Is in semi-hibernation only.
Report Post »ejbonk
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:35pmAwww,shades of the old U.S.S.R. long live the Communist Party. Russia never did change,it only evolved in to some new,something old and some thing blue.
Report Post »nptden
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:11pmjRussia an China are just waiting in the wings. They are getting ready to zap the Caliphate after they surround and destroy Israel. Then they walk in and share the oil. While their buddy Obama keeps us out of the situation, by setting up our military to be weakened by the Caliphate/Israeli conflict. Thanks Obama you did your job. Hillary the other NWO freak and Marxist is ready to take the helm.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:07pmSounds like the ‘ol Soviet Union is alive and kickin.
Report Post »Navyveteran
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:24pmI was thinking the same thing. I guess they don’t need their facade of a free society anymore. We should have double tapped communism when we had the chance. Nope after the wall fell, and the people stood up communism went to a safe sanctuary to wait for the right timing to come back again. I saw it coming when Putin became their president, a KGB member. Right he is going to just delete all that commie bull he had been indoctrinated in for capatilism.
Report Post »geonj
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 6:03pmdon’t let anyone take away the freedoms our founding fathers built our government on. be ready to fight any progressives who want to destroy our way of life. don’t buy into their class warfare crap. it is all a big fraud.
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 5:47pmYep. This is what democracy looks like! While the world is watching every move China makes Russia is still a clear and present danger to the US and the world. They are both ready, willing and able to battle with us through client states and with “anonymous” cyber attacks.
Report Post »Joe Potus
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 5:39pmmore “assertive”. Saddam is gone, Gadhafi can’t hide, Chavez is trying to take his gold and run. Formerly in league with Russia to establish a gold backed Dinar for oil purchases, looks like Russia has depleted their oil export industry and are cutting them loose.
Report Post »Expect more assertive. With these three out of the way the only thing between a one world bank and freedom is a pesky old man from Texas who let the cat out of the bag. There really will be a time when it is too late people. Support Ron Paul or loose everything to the bank.
biohazard23
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 5:31pmObumbler thinks this idea is just dandy. Watch out, kids, he will be coming for you, too…..
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 5:23pmWell Puttie, It’s not like you can send them to Siberia.
Report Post »MCGIRV
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 5:34pmIt’s not nice to mock tyrants.
Report Post »Favored93
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 5:40pmNo its not safe….
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