Putin's Solo Press Conference After Mirror Summit
Reporter Presses Putin on Navalny Poisoning
Attention from CNN, WP, and Other Media Outlets
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Following the conclusion of the summit between the United States and Russia, a blunt question from a journalist during Russian President Vladimir Putin's press conference has drawn attention. When criticized for suppressing Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, President Putin countered by raising human rights issues in the U.S. However, the journalist challenged Putin not to evade the core issue, asking, "What are you afraid of that you kill your opponents?"
According to CNN and The Washington Post (WP) on the 16th (local time), during a solo press conference held immediately after the U.S.-Russia summit, ABC News reporter Rachel Scott asked President Putin, "Your opponents are dying," and questioned, "What exactly are you afraid of to do this?"
In response, President Putin brought up the issue of racial discrimination against Black people in the U.S., counterattacking by saying that the U.S. also has human rights problems.
Putin emphasized, "This organization (operated by Navalny) is an extremist organization," and "It has been disrupting social order and engaging in illegal activities," justifying Navalny's detention. He further referred to last year's protests against racial discrimination in the U.S. as "disorderly disturbances" and "destructive acts," arguing that the U.S. also faces human rights issues.
However, reporter Scott pointed out that Putin had not yet answered her question. She mentioned, "Your opponents are dying, detained, or even poisoned," and pressed, "Isn't this a message that you do not want a fair political fight?"
In response, Putin brought up the January U.S. Capitol riot once again, criticizing the U.S. He described the Capitol riot as an insurrection incited by domestic terrorists and said, "They also committed numerous crimes and face the risk of imprisonment."
Previously, Russian authorities have emphasized that opposition figures, including Navalny, were detained due to illegal activities to justify their detention. President Putin expressed that just as many protesters were arrested for illegal acts during the January Capitol riot in the U.S., Russian opposition figures are detained for legitimate reasons.
The WP evaluated, "This question from the ABC News reporter was one of the key highlights of President Putin's press conference today."
Meanwhile, regarding President Putin's mention of U.S. issues to counter criticism of human rights suppression in Russia, U.S. President Joe Biden criticized it as a "really absurd comparison."
President Biden, during a solo press conference after the summit, pointed out, "Being arrested for storming the Capitol and killing police officers is a completely different matter from going to jail for protesting to demand freedom of expression." He mocked the fact that Russian opposition figures like Navalny were arrested simply for expressing political dissent.
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