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Disinfo: ECHR ruling proves that the European rule of law does not exist

Summary

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) proved that the concept of European rule of law is a hypothetical concept that does not exist in reality. By rejecting an appeal against a landmark ruling that Soviet repressions against Lithuanian partisans can be treated as genocide, the ECHR is essentially rewriting the rule of law to fit the narrative that is being propagated in the mainstream media and diplomatic rhetoric in the last few months. It is similar to the recent attempts of rewriting history.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denigrating the European Court of Human Rights. The disinformation message appeared after the ECHR upheld its earlier ruling that Soviet repressions against Lithuanian partisans can be treated as genocide. Earlier Lithuanian courts have found S.Drelingas guilty of genocide for his participation in a secret operation to detain Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas, one of the leaders of Lithuanian partisans. In March, the ECHR ruled that the judgement did not violate the former KGB officer’s rights. Read more about the ruling in English and Lithuanian. See previous disinformation cases about the Baltic Forest Brothers here.

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publication/media

southfront.org (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 164
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17/09/2019
  • Outlet language(s) English
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Lithuania
  • Keywords: Forest Brothers, ECHR

Belarus

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There was an unprecedented level of foreign interference in the election to the Moscow City Duma

No one pays attention to who works with whom. Deutsche Welle, BBC, Navalny, Venediktov and so on, all worked in unison. And this is perceived as normal. That is, there was an unprecedented level of foreign interference in Moscow City Duma elections.

Sep 16, 2019
Disproof

Unfounded conspiracy theory on foreign influence in Russian politics, and the US and/or other actors standing behind any expressions of popular discontent. Similar cases can be found here and here. Andrei Kolesnikov, a political analyst at the Carnegie thinktank Moscow Centre, told Euronews that "External interference is mythologem. This is typical of the current government and typical of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, who believes that no one can take to the streets of their own free will: (for him) Maidan was organised by the US and so are these protests." At the same time, before the elections Russian police suppressed pro-democracy demonstrations across Moscow, detaining around 1,000 people. Meanwhile, a Levada Centre poll published on 6 August showed that a relative majority of Muscovites supported the protests (37% in favour, versus 27% against). A nationwide poll released by the Levada Center on 3 September showed that a majority of Russians (58%) don’t believe the government propaganda line about Moscow protests being fomented by the West.

Zelenskyy administration drastically increases military spending despite peace rhetorics

The Ukrainian Parliament presented its Draft National Budget for 2020. The almost two times increase of the country’s military budget was announced at a briefing by Minister of Finance Oksana Markarova. The increase in defense is clearly aimed at ramping up preparations for an aggressive war. This goes directly in contrast with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claims that Ukraine currently wishes for normalization of the situation in Eastern Ukraine. If peace was the aim, why would so much investment be needed in defense, especially when the country clearly has no funds, judging by the rumors of yet another IMF loan? Furthermore, the announced “disarmament” of the Nazi-infested “volunteer battalions” left them with half their weapons in place, and it became apparent that they weren’t withdrawn from the frontline as it was suggested earlier.

Sep 16, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine, implying that Ukraine is the aggressor. The disinformation case also repeats a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on fascism in Ukraine. Examples of similar cases can be found here and here. In fact, the international community, including the European Union recognizes and condemns clear violations of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since February 2014.

The West hides important evidence on MH17 disaster

The West continues to hide information. The international investigation group just continues to ignore important details that point to a series of explosions on board MH17.

Sep 16, 2019
Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the downing of flight MH17. The version about an explosion on board the plane is one of many pro-Kremlin versions of the event. It was not confirmed by the international investigation team. In fact, in September 2016, the JIT concluded that Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile from the 9M38 series, which was launched by a BUK TELAR missile system. The system was transported from the Russian Federation to an agricultural field near the town of Pervomaiskyi in Eastern Ukraine, from where the missile was launched. After firing, the system - with one missing missile – was transported back to the Russian Federation. On the 24th of May 2018, the JIT announced that the BUK TELAR used to shoot down MH17 came from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, a unit of the Russian armed forces from Kursk in the Russian Federation. On the basis of the investigation conducted by the JIT, consisting of law enforcement agencies from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, Ukraine and the Netherlands, the Dutch Public Persecution service is to prosecute Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin, Sergey Nikolayevich Dubinskiy, Oleg Yuldashevich Pulatov, and Leonid Volodymyrovych Kharchenko for causing the MH17 crash and murdering the 298 persons on board. A public hearing is set for the 9th of March 2020 in the Netherlands. See here for more information. The JIT conclusions were further corroborated by Bellingcat. For the full Bellingcat report see here. For a similar case click here. For a summary of disinformation narratives on this case see here.

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