h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just an observation but is seems to me that Denmark has very little regard for relations with Russia. The fact that they allowed the congress to conviegn at all shows this. So the decision is in no way surprising.

Does anyone know if other members of the congress are still in Denmark? Were relations before this between denmark and Russia cool?

This really isn't about our relations with Russia - which btw have been quite good.

Really, it proves that in a democratic society with the split between legislative, judicial and executive powers there are rules which need to be followed - and just because Russia a) is big, b) was the victim of a truly nasty terrorist act, you cannot start bending those rules.

The fight against terrorism should not have as its first victim the rights of individuals! Sakajev might not be all shiny and innocent - or he might be - but one way or the other, he's got the right to a fair trial.

And as to the Checyan meeting, Denmark by way of its constitution has free right of assembly - and so the government is by law not permitted to disallow such a meeting. If somebody in the meeting was in fact criminals or terrorists, we should arrest them and try the case in court if other countries asked us to - just as we in fact did arrest Sakajev when we received the Russian order for extradiciton and tried int in court.

And when Russia tries to get somebody extradited, they'd better have a case that holds water - and not something where all the evidence is a) fuzzy, b) collected after the arrest order has been written.

Sorry - won't work here. And if you ask me, should'nt work anywhere!

I'd hardly call that a rant. Makes perfect sense.

-------

"According to a Danish newspaper, one of the people Sakajev was accused of killing actually in another document was witnessing against him.... Now that's a whole new line of police work, isn't it?"

I can imagine Danish officials laughing and drinks spraying out their noses when reading that.

Sakajev left Denmark this evening, but noone knows whereto, as he is still wanted through Interpol. He lives in UK where he have his family, but in fact he risks being arrested in any Interpol member country.
Although the director of Interpol on the news tonight said, that when one member (Denmark) has seen the evidence, and found it too thin, it certainly is a different situation it is still a weird and open situation. In reality Sakajev is now in exile, but I doubt any EU country will extradite him, and that the russians are gonna try to pull the same trick twice in a row.

But then again...


....theese are strange and worrying times.


TD.

I'm curious. How would the americans resolve their conflicting ideals. Disagree with russia or dissagree with war-on-terrorism tactics.

Hmmm....the way I see it Jack!!!

"Denmark", the government, does not necessarily disagree with Russia. But the juridcal system works better/is better oiled than the russian is and therefor there "must" be a conflict.


sort of


TD.

According to the morning news, Sakajev has gone back to the UK - and promptly arrested there... Probably due to the Euro/Interpol arrest order issued by Russia.

Apparently it hasn't surfaced anywhere else yet...

For anyone who cares, here's BBC news' roundup on the Danish press discussions after the release the other day (note: it helps knowing the guy's spelled Zakayev in the UK...)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2541511.stm


SG V

"Russia, of course, is furious and has stated that Denmark apparently have a differenr view on "war on terrorism", than the rest of the world."

Thank you, I see that as a big compliment. You know, I actually feel a bit of national pride right now at being Danish.

Oh, me too.

To quote the BBC article above (which again quotes Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende):

"Coarse and insinuating Russian pressure... revealed a continued lack of understanding of democratic rights in Putin's Russia"

That's how we see it.

I will respond to Apparition's hypothetical.

Our constitution gives Americans the right for peaceful assembly. Foreigners in America do not have this right. It wouldn't surprise me to find our BIA finds First Nation powwows quasi-legal, and permits them only as it pleases.

The American right of assembly is almost always given without notifying any authority of any kind for very small groups and small private clubs. If the meeting is large, like the Chechen Congress appears to be, there is usually required some sort of permit application that guarantees public safety and health, and observation of relevant laws depending on the nature of the meeting. Proof that the organizers have adequately solved these problems is also required. During this procedure, which takes time and money, questions about just who is meeting and why would be asked, and our government would be learn of it.

If our government was friendly to the country against which revolution was plotted, I'd expect we'd comply with their requests. Our laws don't demand that we criticize the nature of law in the friendly country the revolutionaries are coming from. Cuba might be an exception, our Congress has a hair up it's nose about that country. The permits would be denied and the organizers captured and deported/surrendered to proper authorities.

(If we didn't we'd *quote* the rule of law, but they'd be just words. I wouldn't expect that country to remain friendly with us unless they otherwise needed to, either.)

which hypothetical are you referring to?

I read in our local paper yesterday, that Vanessa Redgrave, the actress, wants Sakajev to be given asylum in the UK, and is providing shelter for him!

That´s right. Supposedly they are old friends (Sakajev used to be an actor among other things), and he lives and have his family in UK.

TD.

Redgrave has always wore her politics on her sleeve.

I´m not too keen on Vanessa myself, it seems to me she is assumed in the matter (Hmmm...wonders if that is the correct word?). She certainly knows how to deliver her statements, being an actor, in this case. When Sakajev was set free, she delivered her short speech in a very melodramatic voice, talking about "miracles still happening" .

She would fit the role of Brigitte Pian perfect, if Fracois Mauriac´s "A woman of the pharisees" were to be made a movie.


TD.

Did I just agree with birth

Santra, I was not making any insinuations that Denmark had done anything improper. I am not familar with denmarks laws. I ewally did not know that the rites to assembly were open to all people of the world not just denmarks citizens. It however must get very confusing in situations like this were a group is meeting to succeed from their country {russia} {that you have good relations with and one of the promoters of this organization is wanted by both that country {russia} and interpool. I do however think your wrong if you think this does not effect denmarks relations with russia however. I applaud you for sticking by your guns.