Basmanny Justice

"Basmanny Justice" (Russian: Басманное правосудие) is a term used to characterize the judicial system that emerged in the 2000s in Russia and is distinguished by a low degree of independence of the judiciary in decision-making.[1][2][3] The decisions made by the dependent judiciary are considered convenient for the authorities or necessary for them, but run counter to the rule of law.[4]

Basmanny Justice
RussianБасманное правосудие
RomanizationBasmannoe pravosudie

Sometimes it is used in a semantic meaning as a custom-made court, an instrument of political repression, synonymous with the lack of independence of the court as a whole.

The term got its name from the name of the Basmanny District Court of the city of Moscow, known for its high-profile and controversial trials, which caused many-sided criticism of the Russian judicial system, in particular, in the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Yukos shareholders v. Russia.[1][5][6][7][8] The term and the phenomenon it describes have been the subject of debate among journalists, lawyers and authorities, including former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Moscow City Court chairperson Olga Yegorova.[9][10]

History of origin
Building of Basmanny courthouse in Moscow

The term was introduced by the editor-in-chief of Echo of Moscow Alexei Venediktov and Gennady Raikov, who called the Basmanny court and its justice Basmanovsky (Russian: Басмановское), which caused Venediktov to associate the term with the Basmanov Oprichniks.[11] In November 2003, the term was used, inter alia, by Grigory Yavlinsky and Boris Nemtsov.[1]

Opinions

In 2004, the chairman of the Supreme Arbitration Court of Russia Veniamin Yakovlev, expressed the opinion that the presence of a stable label "Basmanny Justice" contributes to a critical assessment of the work of Russian judges:[12]

We are such a people – generous with labels. And as soon as the label is glued, it starts to spread. After that, the essence of the matter is no longer important. If you want to say something about justice, remember the label. What kind of justice? Basmanny. After that, the essence of the matter is no longer important. Although we are still trying to understand – why is this? So we are doing something wrong? This helps you to critically evaluate your work.

In 2005, the chairperson of the Moscow City Court, Olga Yegorova, confirmed that "the term really exists," and the book "Basmanny Justice" published by Yukos' lawyer Karinna Moskalenko and her colleagues[7][13][14][15] contains "interesting additional information" that prompted the chairperson of the court to remind the judges subordinate to her demands "clearly comply with the procedural and substantive law, promptly and competently consider each case, since behind each of them are people, their interests, rights, destinies." "There is no longer either Mosgorshtamp or Basmanny Justice," Olga Yegorova argued in 2011.[16]

In December 2009, this term was commented on by the then President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev:[9][17]

Yes, I've heard this term. I am not sure if it is accurate or correct. But if "basmanny justice" means the adoption of unjust decisions by any court in various places of our country, that is, so-called unjust decisions, as lawyers say, then this is evil, and this must be fought, combated by means of legal response. Such decisions or sentences should be canceled, and if they are taken under the influence of certain circumstances, be it money, political pressure, other factors, the persons who make such sentences and decisions should be held accountable, held accountable before the law, before the country.

Examples of using the term

By analogy with the expression "Basmanny Justice", journalists used similar phrases containing the names of other courts to characterize the non-legal nature of their decisions (for example, "Zyuzin justice" (Russian: зюзинское правосудие) during the conflict in Yuzhny Butovo in May 2006).[32]

See also

References
  1. Dushenko, Konstantin (2006). Словарь современных цитат: 5200 цитат и выражений ХХ и ХХI вв., их источники, авторы, датировка [Dictionary of modern quotations: 5200 quotations and expressions of the 10th and 11th centuries, their sources, authors, dating] (in Russian). Eksmo. p. 592. ISBN 978-5-699-17691-5.
  2. "Basmanny Justice". The Wall Street Journal. 1 June 2005. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  3. Orlov, Sergey (26 May 2016). "'Basmanny justice'". khodorkovsky.com. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  4. "How "Basmanny Justice" defeated the Basmanny Court". Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group. 25 December 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  5. Tsechoev, Valery (2010). История суда России: учеб. пособие [History of the Russian court: a tutorial] (in Russian). Prospekt. p. 8. ISBN 978-5-392-01166-7.
  6. Petrukhin, Igor (2009). Оправдательный приговор и право на реабилитацию: монография [Not guilty verdict and the right to rehabilitation: monograph] (in Russian). Prospekt. p. 69. ISBN 978-5-392-00508-6.
  7. Sakwa, Richard (2009). The Quality of Freedom: Khodorkovsky, Putin, and the Yukos Affair. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-921157-9.
  8. Sakwa, Richard (16 December 2010). The Crisis of Russian Democracy: The Dual State, Factionalism and the Medvedev Succession. Cambridge University Press. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-139-49491-5.
  9. "Власти будут бороться с "басманным правосудием" – Медведев" [Authorities will fight against "Basmanny justice" – Medvedev]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 24 December 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  10. Yamshanov, Boris (24 March 2005). "Ольга Егорова: Обидно слышать про "басманное правосудие"" [Olga Yegorova: It's a shame to hear about "Basmanny justice"]. Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  11. Alexei, Venediktov (29 October 2003). "Ночной эфир — Алексей Венедиктов — Интервью" [Night broadcast — Alexei Venediktov — Interview]. Echo of Moscow (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  12. Kornya, Anastasia (5 August 2004). "Вениамин Яковлев: «Судебная власть превращается в придаток исполнительной»" [Veniamin Yakovlev: "The judiciary is turning into an appendage of the executive"]. Nezavisimaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  13. Moskalenko, Karinna; Nikitinsky, Leonid (2004). Басманное Правосудие [Basmanny Justice] (PDF) (in Russian). Moscow: Public reputation. p. 96.
  14. Sharogradsky, Andrey; Torocheshnikova, Maryana (7 April 2004). "Выход книги "Басманное правосудие"" [Publication of the book Basmanny justice]. Radio Liberty (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  15. Khavkina, Daria (9 September 2008). "Басманное правосудие" [Basmanny justice]. Pravo.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  16. Yegorov, Ivan (24 November 2011). "Ольга Егорова: Судьи у нас талантливые" [Olga Yegorova: Our judges are talented]. Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  17. "Итоги года с Президентом России" [Results of the year with the President of Russia]. Kremlin.ru (in Russian). 24 December 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  18. "Судью Басманного суда, рассматривавшую дела ЮКОСа, Сторчака и Довгия, лишили полномочий" [The judge of the Basmanny Court, who tried the cases of Yukos, Storchak and Dovgiy, was stripped of her powers]. NEWSru (in Russian). 9 September 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  19. Danilin, Pavel (15 December 2009). "В интересах Чечни добиться справедливости по отношению к Аракчееву" [It is in the interests of Chechnya to achieve justice in relation to Arakcheev]. apn.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  20. Xiong, Yuri (16 October 2007). "Генпрокуратура осудила басманное правосудие" [Prosecutor General's Office condemned Basmanny justice]. Kommersant (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  21. ""Басманное правосудие" продлило генералу Бульбову срок ареста еще на три месяца. А число подозреваемых в его деле растет" [Basmanny Justice extended General Bulbov's arrest for another three months. And the number of suspects in his case is growing]. NEWSru (in Russian). 11 June 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  22. "Басманный суд признал законным предъявление обвинений генералу Бульбову" [Basmanny court found legal charges against General Bulbov]. NEWSru (in Russian). 6 November 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  23. Butrin, Dmitry; Shishkin, Maxim; Netreba, Peter; Belikov, Dmitry; Sokovnin, Alexey (19 November 2007). "Покушение на государственный долг" [Assassination attempt on public debt]. Kommersant. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  24. "Сторчаку предъявят обвинение в пятницу. Депутат Лебедев просит освободить чиновника под свое поручительство" [Storchak will be charged on Friday. Deputy Lebedev asks to release the official on his surety]. GlobalRus.ru (in Russian). 21 November 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  25. Portnikov, Vitaly (11 January 2008). "Хроника ухода. Последнее обращение" [Chronicle of leaving. Last call]. Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  26. Bayazitova, Alexandra (27 January 2011). "Березовский не рекомендует Чичваркину возвращаться на Родину" [Berezovsky does not recommend Chichvarkin to return to his homeland]. marker.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  27. Stanovaya, Tatiana (6 August 2012). "Pussy Riot: ловушка для власти" [Pussy Riot: a power trap]. politcom.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  28. Severtsev, Nikolay (30 July 2012). "Хамовническое «правосудие»" [Khamovnicheskoe "justice"]. The Moscow Post (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  29. Gulyaev, Sergey (28 May 2012). "Страна без посредников" [Country without intermediaries]. rosbalt.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  30. Pozner Jr., Vladimir (29 October 2012). "О Развозжаеве и "басманном правосудии"" [About Razvozzhaev and "Basmanny Justice"]. pozneronline.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  31. Melnikova, Anastasia (4 September 2020). "Суд в Москве счел законным действия СК, не возбудившего дело об отравлении Навального" [The court in Moscow found the actions of the Investigative Committee legal, which did not initiate a case on the poisoning of Navalny]. znak.com (in Russian). Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  32. Stepovoy, Bogdan (27 March 2007). "Бутовское "жлобство" натолкнулось на зюзинское правосудие" [Butovo "redneck" came across Zyuzin justice]. Izvestia (in Russian). Retrieved 22 March 2021.
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