Human rights, role of the state and the eu eastern policy: the khodorkovsky case

• Author: Branislav Fábry
• Pages: 213-220

213

BRANISLAV FÁBRY

HUMAN RIGHTS, ROLE OF THE STATE

AND THE EU EASTERN POLICY:

THE KHODORKOVSKY CASE

SUMMARY

The paper presents actuall problems in the EU - Russian discourse on the example of

controv ersial Kodorkovsky case in Russia and on more or less unappropriate reactions in the

Western states. The paper deal with a dilemma: on the one side human rights question is the

key topic in the EU Neighbourghood Politics, but on the other side there are some myths and

prejudicies in the discussion, that should be cleared. One of the problems is the negative

perception of the Khodorkovsky case and conjoint human rights discourse between the EU and

Russia in the Russian Public. EU should not underestimate those wide spread feelings in

Russia and take the suspicions of its double standards policy seriously.

Eternal question of good and evil as an introduction

My presentation deals with issues of EU Eastern Policy, human

rights and the involvement of the State. I will try to present actuall

problems in the EU - Russian discourse on the example of controversial

Kodorkovsky case in Russia and on more or less unappropriate reactions

in the Western states.

Allow me to start with a joke that is wide-spread in Eastern Europe:

Former Russian president Vladimir Putin arrives after his death to

the Gate of Heaven. But Saint Peter is skeptical about Putin’s fate and

sends him to the hell. So it is done. Two Days after a small Group of

Devils arrives to the Heaven’s Gate. Saint Peter reacts promptly: - Sorry,

guys, you are wrong here! But one of the Devils responds seriously: - Not

at all, we are the new Dissidents...

It was only a joke, but the real political life in Eastern Europe has

some similarities to this joke. It is not easy to differ between good and

evil, between real dissidents ad those who would like to simulate dissent

to gain a support from outside. That is also one of the main reasons why

is it so difficult to find an appropriate respond to the human rights

problems, especially in the Russian Federation.

It is dangerous that the leading Russian Politicians have not much

understanding for western concern over human rights and they are too

suspicious against all western human rights statements. Real problem is

the fact that Russian Public has even more skeptical opinions on the

human rights discourse in the West than its Government. According to

the Juriy Levada Center annually research, western or pro-western