Tweet
Arrest of Wikileaks leader indicates lack of democracy - Putin
MOSCOW, December 9 (RIA Novosti)
The arrest of enigmatic Wikileaks founder Julian Assange indicates a
problem with democracy, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on
Thursday.
"If they have a full democracy, why have they hidden mister Assange
away in prison? Is that what democracy is?" the premier said at a
briefing with his French counterpart Francois Fillon.
"In Russian villages they say 'some people's cows can moo, but yours
should keep quiet.' So I would like to shoot the puck back at our
American colleagues," Putin added.
Assange was arrested in London on December 7. His extradition to
Sweden, where he is wanted on sex assault charges, is pending.
World leaders and diplomats have downplayed the impact of the leak of
more than 250,000 confidential U.S. diplomatic cables by the Wikileaks
site, but many have questioned the benefit of the project, alleging
that some of the leaks could "threaten lives."
The 39-year-old Australian currently tops an online poll for Time
Person of the Year. The choice will be made by the editors of the
magazine next Wednesday.
On Wednesday, a source in the Kremlin told RIA Novosti Assange should
be nominated for a Nobel Prize.
From: A. Papazian
MOSCOW, December 9 (RIA Novosti)
The arrest of enigmatic Wikileaks founder Julian Assange indicates a
problem with democracy, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on
Thursday.
"If they have a full democracy, why have they hidden mister Assange
away in prison? Is that what democracy is?" the premier said at a
briefing with his French counterpart Francois Fillon.
"In Russian villages they say 'some people's cows can moo, but yours
should keep quiet.' So I would like to shoot the puck back at our
American colleagues," Putin added.
Assange was arrested in London on December 7. His extradition to
Sweden, where he is wanted on sex assault charges, is pending.
World leaders and diplomats have downplayed the impact of the leak of
more than 250,000 confidential U.S. diplomatic cables by the Wikileaks
site, but many have questioned the benefit of the project, alleging
that some of the leaks could "threaten lives."
The 39-year-old Australian currently tops an online poll for Time
Person of the Year. The choice will be made by the editors of the
magazine next Wednesday.
On Wednesday, a source in the Kremlin told RIA Novosti Assange should
be nominated for a Nobel Prize.
From: A. Papazian