Russian atheist faces 12 months in prison for denying existence of god

Squall Leonhart

Came across this article this morning from today's guardian newspaper

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/russian-atheist-faces-year-in-jail-for-denying-existence-of-god-during-webchat

A man in southern Russia faces a potential jail sentence after he was charged with insulting the feelings of religious believers over an internet exchange in which he wrote that “there is no God”.

Viktor Krasnov, 38, who appeared in court Wednesday, is being prosecuted under a controversial 2013 law“If I say that the collection of Jewish fairytales entitled the Bible is complete bull****, that is that. At least for me,” Krasnov wrote, adding later “there is no God!”

Krasnov, whose case began last month, spent one month in a psychiatric ward last year undergoing psychiatric examinations before he was finally deemed to be sane. Krasnov’s lawyer insisted to AFP that his client was “simply an atheist”

I think this is crazy! He underwent psychiatric evaluation to see if he was insane because he denied the existence of god. I honestly did not know that things were like this in Russia.

Cabaal

Wasn't a atheist in Nigeria also assessed mentally at some point for the same reason?
It seems some religious people often have a problem understanding that people have different views to them,

I'm surprised you are surprised about Russia,
This is a country where the church is deeply in bed with the government, where they could lobby the government in relation to anti-gay laws. I'm not at all surprised about this story.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/aug/13/putin-russia-little-separation-church-state/?page=all

nozzferrahhtoo

I think you mean Mubarak Bala who was not just assessed, but actually committed, on the grounds of his atheism? If memory recalls it was about 2 or 3 years ago and it was his own family who "turned him in" to the doctors. In fact when the first doctor they turned him in to did not diagnose him with issues, they then actively went to seek a second opinion. Such was their determination they had to have his atheism diagnosed as a mental condition.

I think I recall Nigerian Leo Igwe mentioned in Germany when I was there that he was also either submitted, or at least referred for, evaluation of his mental well being due to being atheist too. But my ever aging memory is a little sketchy on that one too.

Squall Leonhart

Cabaal wrote: »

I'm surprised you are surprised about Russia,
This is a country where the church is deeply in bed with the government, where they could lobby the government in relation to anti-gay laws. I'm not at all surprised about this story.

Chalk it up to my ignorance. I did think there was a strong religious conservative culture but not to this level. Now I know.

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

There are no atheists in Russian Gulags...

Cabaal

Second Toughest in_the Freshers wrote: »

There are no atheists in Russian Gulags...

You're likely right, they are all dead

Nodin

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

I think this is crazy! He underwent psychiatric evaluation to see if he was insane because he denied the existence of god. I honestly did not know that things were like this in Russia.

The Russian orthodox church has always had a too close relationship with the state afaik. Now communism is over its far more overt and back to its old ways.

robindch

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

He underwent psychiatric evaluation to see if he was insane because he denied the existence of god. I honestly did not know that things were like this in Russia.

They were like this for a long time until 1989, then they stopped until a few years ago.

Anyhow, it's an old Communist ploy - accuse somebody of some seditious activity, then sling them into a "psychiatric unit" for "evaluation" and if, after some period of time, they haven't recanted, signed a weepy confession thanking the Tsar/General Secretary/Prezident, then yes, I suppose you could probably say that they do have genuine problems with rational thought.

Pat Mustard

In Soviet Russia, God denies the existence of atheists!

Canadel

In fairness, if you said those things in the Christianity forum you'd probably be banned.

PopePalpatine

Canadel wrote: »

In fairness, if you said those things in the Christianity forum you'd probably be banned.

I'd take a ban from the Christianity forum over a year in a Russian prison.

Canadel

PopePalpatine wrote: »

I'd take a ban from the Christianity forum over a year in a Russian prison.

Agreed.

Though I would consider a year in a Russian prison rather than having to spend a year in the Christianity forum.

robindch

Now, now, folks, no rudeness about our religious friends' digital meeting house.

uck51js9zml2yt

PopePalpatine wrote: »

I'd take a ban from the Christianity forum over a year in a Russian prison.

You've obviously never been in a Russian prison or know anyone who has been.
At least we don't torture you, enforce hard labour and deprive you of food in the Christianity forum.
You're also free to leave at any time

PopePalpatine

Ronan Loose Sleepwalker wrote: »

You've obviously never been in a Russian prison or know anyone who has been.
At least we don't torture you, enforce hard labour and deprive you of food in the Christianity forum.
You're also free to leave at any time

You must have misread me, in my post I meant that I'd rather get banned from a Christian forum than spend a year in a Russian prison.

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

I'd rather be banned from Russia than spend a year in Boards prison...

Canadel

PopePalpatine wrote: »

You must have misread me, in my post I meant that I'd rather get banned from a Christian forum than spend a year in a Russian prison.

Can we just both agree that neither of them are places you would want to spend any significant amount of time in.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Second Toughest in_the Freshers wrote: »

I'd rather be banned from Russia than spend a year in Boards prison...

Boards prison is fine. They have internet.

stevejazzx

A Russian Prison with only one available url

robindch

Ronan Loose Sleepwalker wrote: »

You've obviously never been in a Russian prison or know anyone who has been. At least we don't torture you, enforce hard labour and deprive you of food in the Christianity forum.

In SovietRussian prison, prisoner deprives self of food.



Mildly sick gags aside, Savchenko called off her hunger strike earlier on today following a plea from the Ukrainian President. Her final statement to the individuals presiding over the show-trial was quite a performance:

Guardian wrote:

Ukrainian military pilot Nadiya Savchenko accompanied her statement on Wednesday by jumping on to the bench and giving the judge the middle finger, before singing the Ukrainian national anthem.