Russian government on Tommy Robinson: “The oppression of citizens due to their opinions is not acceptable in any state”

From Voice of Europe and also mentioned by Lizzie Dearden in The Independent. I think she’s a bit sweet on Tommy, even tho she pretends to despise him she’s always banging on about him. 

Exclusively for Komsomolskaya Pravda, the Russian Ministry of the Foreign Affairs said: In any democratic state — which the UK authorities consider their country to be — only a Court of Law has the right to define a citizens’ measure guilt or innocence.”

“According to the principle of judicial independence, it would be improper for us to comment on this trial before its end, though certainly we will continue to observe the situation closely.”

“As to Mr Robinson’s political views, we believe political pluralism is one of the most important issues in modern society. The oppression of citizens due to their opinions is not acceptable in any state, including the United Kingdom.”

Tommy is to be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court Old Bailey tomorrow. 

I knew the name Komsomolskaya Pravda from Russian novels.  Originally it was the newspaper of the Komsomol, the Communist Party Youth Wing. It’s now a popular tabloid newspaper with editions published not just in Russia but countries where Russians have gone to work or holiday However it is solely Russian language but as Voice of Europe have the confidence to link to the original I have no doubt that their translation is accurate. A Russian newspaper founded in 1925 would recognise persecution for political beliefs when it met such.