Former mayor of the Russian city of Yekaterinburg Yevgeny Roizman is on trial today. Roizman is known as a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been prosecuted for blackening the Russian military. According to Russia correspondent Joost Bosman, this process “actually silences Roizman”.
According to Bosman, the prosecuted politician risks a heavy sentence. Bosman cites other persecuted opposition figures such as Ilja Jassin, “an ally of Navalny, who disappeared behind bars for 8.5 years in late December and another as much as 25 years”. That Roizman’s trial will result in a prison sentence is almost certain for Bosman.
Late 90s
Bosman calls Roizman “a very colorful figure,” who made a lot of money with a jewelry store. But the Russian “rode a crooked shoe” and was jailed for two years for fraud.
As mayor, Roizman fought drug crime in Yekaterinburg. “That was the mafia capital of Russia in the late 90s.” According to Bosman, he also crossed the line several times with this, and was often called to account by the police. “In Ekatarinaburg he established himself a lot, but in that city Roizman made himself very popular among the population.”
Finally, Roizman was elected mayor of the Russian city in 2013. ‘The critic was very forthcoming and talked to people a lot. In protest he resigned in 2018 due to the abolition of the elected mayor ». Subsequently, the Russian politician has thrown himself into all kinds of social projects, says Bosman.
“On social media, for example, he calls the leader of Russia morons”
Last year, when the war in Ukraine began, Yevgeny Roizman strongly opposed it. Bosman explains: ‘That involves a lot of foul language. For example, on social media he calls Russia’s leaders “morons”. This is no longer allowed in Russia.” For this reason, the Kremlin critic has already been blocked once on Twitter and Facebook.
By August, he had already been banned from the Internet. Roizman is also no longer allowed to visit public places and events. Only through his wife does he sometimes say something,” says Joost Bosman. In mid-March, Roizman was also arrested for allegedly reposting a message from Navalny on Vkontakte, the Russian counterpart of Facebook. “His wife says: ‘You can’t, because never had an account there'”.
Putin’s main critics, Navalny, Jassin and Vladimir Kara Murza, are already in prison. “Including Roizman, I don’t know if other people will step up and take over, but it’s totally unlikely.”
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
