In February of last year, I wrote a blog
on Moscow court
employee, Natalia Vasilieva, who blew the whistle on the second Khorkovsky
trial. She revealed in a television interview that the Khodorkovsky verdict was
sent over to her boss, the judge, by higher authorities. Despite his own reservations,
the judge sentenced Khodorkovsky to a second jail term as ordered. She was
immediately fired and threatened with a defamation suit by the judge.
She was recently interviewed by a dissident producer:
“Did they
drive you from work?”
“Yes.”
“Whom did you like most of all in
the court?”
“Khodorkovsky.”
As she left the interview, everyone
tried to shake her hand. “Are you not working now?” Asked one. “No,” she
answered. By the way, her husband is also not able to get a job.
Natalia Vasilieva is an example of Putin’s use of “soft
power.” His soft power is becoming
harder and more violent.
