"Look at the American streets. People are getting killed there, including those who are leading the various political organizations," Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters when questioned on his opponents being dead, jailed, or imprisoned in the country at the press conference after meeting his US counterpart Joe Biden at a summit in Geneva.
Putin dragged in the recent violence and the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States when asked about jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Navalny was a Russian opposition leader and the leader of the Russia of the Future party and the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation.
He was arrested on fraud charges and his organization was banned as "extremist". He is currently in prison.
Putin's opponents keep "disappearing"
When a CNN reporter asked him about the imprisonment of Navalny, Putin said "this person" knew well that he violated the law that existed in Russia and he was a repeated offender.
"He (Navalny) deliberately violated this law. He went abroad for his treatment and ignored Russian law. And once he was out of the hospital and posted videos online. He ignored the requirement of the law and he knew that he was wanted and nevertheless he came back to Russia and deliberately wanted to be arrested. So he did what he wanted to do. What can we say here? With regard to the persons like him and the non-systemic opposition at large, unfortunately, the format of the press conference does not allow us to have a detailed discussion," he said.
Putin then diverted his answer to talk about the US and said the United States should support the democratic order in our country and support democratic organizations.
"Everything that happens in our country is something that political leadership is responsible for, and the Presidents included. Who stands accused of what? But look at it this way. Look at the American streets. People ate getting killed there, including those who are leading various political organizations. Take Afghanistan. One single strike can kill to the tune of 120 people. Alright, this was a mistake, it happens in a war. But shooting from a drone to an unarmed crowd, a civilian crowd, what is this about? How would you call that? And who is responsible for this?" He asked.
Later another reporter from ABC News followed this up and asked "The list of your political opponents who are dead, imprisoned or jailed is long. Alexei Navalny's organization called free and fair elections and end to corruption, Russia has outlawed that organization calling it extremist and you have now prevented anyone who supports him to run for office. What are you so afraid of?"
To this, the Russian President said that the organization in question had publicly called for riots and public disorder.
"It has openly instructed people how to make Molotov cocktails so as to use them against law enforcement and called for the participation of underage persons in riots," he said and quickly diverted the topic to the recent violence in America.
Dragging US violence for reference
Putin brought up the recent violence in the US in January this year where allegedly pro-Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol during riots and violent attacks against the US Congress.
Putin went on to say, "America has most recently gone through a grievous chain of events after the certain African American individual was killed. And the Black Lives Matter movement appeared. I am not going to into details. We have seen pogroms, looting and violation, and riots. We sympathize with the Americans but we do not want the same thing to happen in Russian soil. We will do anything possible to prevent this. It's not about me fearing anything."
When the reporter pressed that he didn't answer her question and reiterated that doesn't his opponents being jailed or detained send a message that he did not want a fair political fight.
Putin replied, "Alright about my opponents being jailed or detained. People went into the US congress with political demands. 400 people are now facing criminal charges. They are facing prison terms of up to 20, maybe 25 years. They are called homegrown terrorists. They are being accused of many other things. 70 people were arrested on the spot. On what grounds- not quite clear. None of the official authorities are informing us about it. So we don't know that."
"One of the participants, a woman, was shot dead, she was not threatening with arms or anything. Why am I bringing this up? Many people are facing the same thing as we do. I am stressing this— we are sympathizing with the US but we do not want the same thing repeating here," he further said.
