Jon McGuire

Having examined the rights and liberties of a Russian citizen, and the differences
between Russia and the United States, I have concluded that travel to, and living in the former
may not be the best idea one could have due to the widespread corruption throughout the
country. Corruption is rampant; whether theyre police officers or government officials,
anybody with power will not hesitate to abuse it if they so please. This is evidenced by the fact
that the time spent waiting for a trial may very well be up to several years in a prison system that
cares to keep you from getting out, and shows no interest or concern about what happens inside
the walls. Disease is rampant, and physical and mental abuse from prisoners and guards alike is
commonplace. Cold-hearted killers are often mixed in with common petty thieves, as well as
some people who have done nothing at all, save for being disliked by somebody in a seat of
power. Others still are innocent, merely awaiting their trial to prove so.
Another example of government corruption is the restriction of the press. Placing one
hundred and forty-eighth out of one hundred and eighty countries in terms of press freedom,
Russia is only continuing to go downhill in that regard. In 2005 alone, there were twelve attacks
on editorial offices causing damage to the building, 63 assaults on people resulting in personal
injury, and even 7 deaths of innocent people, all because there was somebody who didnt agree
with their opinion and didnt like what was being said; most, if not all of these incidents went
unpunished. Thats not even brining into account the nearly two dozen cases of censorship, fortytwo unfair trials and prosecutions, eleven people who lost their jobs, more than three hundred
and eighty lawsuits, twenty-three closed editorial offices, twenty-eight cases of printed
production being confiscated, twenty-three incidents of broadcasts being forcibly stopped,
twenty-five acts of intimidation to prevent information from being spread, and more than several

hundred other cases of oppression, all because somebody high up in the political food chain
decided they didnt want the people to know something.
A specific example of the corruption listed above is a man named Sergei Magnitsky. After
attempting to expose a widespread conspiracy involving tax fraud of over two hundred million
dollars between police officers, lawyers, and judges, among others, Magnitsky was imprisoned
on false charges. When he refused to testify in such a manner that would help prevent the thieves
from being discovered and prosecuted, he was moved to cells with increasingly poor conditions,
later dying after being denied medical treatment. It was later found that the cause of death was
largely due to guards beating and torturing him.