Emory International Law Review Volume 27 Issue 2 2013 Freedom of Expression in Russia as it Relates to Criticism of the Government Tatyana Beschastna Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/eilr Recommended Citation Tatyana Beschastna, Freedom of Expression in Russia as it Relates to Criticism of the Government, 27 Emory Int'l L. Rev. 1105 (2013). Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/eilr/vol27/iss2/10 This Comment is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Emory Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Emory International Law Review by an authorized editor of Emory Law Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. BESCHASTNA GALLEYSPROOFS2 5/1/2014 9:09 AM FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN RUSSIA AS IT RELATES TO CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. —Martin Luther King Jr. INTRODUCTION Freedom of expression in Russia appears to be slowly eroding, Russian Government promising to protect human rights, including the right to freedom of expression. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the transition from “Old” Russia to “New” Russia were associated with many new hopes and promises.1 One such promise was the establishment of new human rights standards, including the fundamental right to freedom of expression. This promise was made by the ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights (Convention) in May of 1998.2 Previously under the oppressive governments of Stalin and his successors, Soviet Russia enjoyed no freedom of expression.3 Under Mikhail Gorbachev, Russia began a new movement commonly known as “Perestroika,” a Russian word that literally translates to “restructuring.”4 Perestroika ushered in a new era of hope and freedom and was heralded both domestically and internationally as an opportunity to change the oppressive policies of the past and establish new respects for the rights of the individual.5 The collapse of the 1 Mikhail S.