Aug 22, 2008

Welcome to the Gulag, now learn how to sew...


The forces of legal nihilism in Russia’s court system won a notable victory yesterday. Mikhail Khodorkovsky was denied early release from prison -- as is his right under the Russian legal code -- because he would not learn how to sew.

We’re not kidding.

According to the judge who ruled in the case, Khodorkovsky “was ineligible for parole because he had refused to undertake professional training at his prison, which specializes in sewing, and because of an incident in which he flouted prison rules.”

To be fair, not even Khodorkovsky’s lawyers really expected his release. What’s more, it is increasingly apparent that Medvedev's drive to end legal nihilism in the court system is being stalled by the fact that he's president in name only. It can be a bit difficult to fight legal nihilism with legal nihilism.

Sorry Khodorkovsky. Better learn how to sew.

3 comments:

Ern said...

I need to learn how to sew. Maybe I should go to Russian prison. Of course, I need to learn to sew, but I don't need TB...it's a compromise.

Pirates(and)Diplomats said...

All I can do is think of these psychopathic killers with tattoos on their faces....learning how to cross stitch.

That'll rehabilitate anyone.

Ern said...

Hahahahaha! I would totally buy a prison pillow with Dom Sladkii Dom cross-stitched on it.