Ihar Alinevich: Doublethink in Russia reaches new level

Russian propagandists are not afraid of lies and obvious controversy and even boast it.

Ihar Alinevich wrote about it in a letter. His mother posted extracts from the letter on Facebook.

“I am writing with a delay. It's too hot and stuffy here. It's difficult to write, so I have to do it slowly. I am fine despite the increased attention to my humble figure in early May. On the third anniversary of the verdict, I feel the page of my creative and educational abilities (marketing and psychology) has been completed. I ended sorting out the letters. Love your stories about the kids: I find myself in a different, normal, world when I read about them and look at their pictures. As for the Victory Day, I had the principled position before. Theory is one thing, but it is something different when it becomes real. I took to heart Solzhenitsin, who wrote how the authorities treated those who had fought for the victory – Soviet prisoners of war, ostarbeiters and many others, who had lived in occupied territories. The mental atmosphere here encourages the consistency of self-understanding and acts. In Russia, we can see clear parallels with the 1930s. Molotov-style blatant lie revived the main principle of the Goebbels propaganda: “Lie as hard as you can”. We hear the same words about principles of freedom of speech, human rights and humanism that Soviet ambassadors and representatives of criminal and criminal procedure codes. Jung wrote good words: “The ethical decision of the individual human being no longer counts- what along matters is the blind movement of the masses, and the lie has thus become the operative principle of political action.” But it's not enough to speak about parallels. The technology of lies has been upgraded since the 1930s. Doublethink reached the new level. They are don't afraid of lies and obvious controversy, they even boast it. Orwell predicted it. I know from newspapers about the arrests ahead of the world championship. It wasn't a surprise. I also read that Minsk prostitutes were arrested as well:) A good company! Guy Debord wrote future revolutions would be made by football fans, prostitutes and junkies. So it is happening,” Alinevich wrote.

Activist of the anarchist movement Ihar Alinevich was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment allegedly for damaging official buildings. The political prisoner did not admit his guilt and refused to apply for a pardon.