Russian authorities probe fake vote-rigging videos

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia's top investigative agency says it is investigating a number of videos containing fake evidence of vote-rigging ahead of Sunday's presidential election.

The Investigative Committee said Thursday it was trying to determine the authors of the videos, dated March 4, that contain fake evidence of fraud.



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RUSSIA_ELECTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-03-01-05-41-46

[pampango]

1. From the link: "The move appears to be an attempt to accuse Kremlin critics of foul play ahead of

the vote, in which Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is all but certain to reclaim the presidency. It follows Putin's claim that the opposition was preparing to fake evidence of vote-rigging to discredit the vote.

Kremlin critics accuse authorities of producing the videos, which are circulating on the Internet, to discredit genuine evidence of what they fear will be a fraudulent election on March 4.

Videos of vote-rigging at December's parliamentary vote helped trigger massive anti-Kremlin rallies."

Smart, if a bit cynical, move by Putin. Videos of alleged vote-rigging have been explosive in the past. With this "probe" he both seeks to discredit legitimate videos that may come out after the election and in essence warns the producers of legitimate videos that the government is going to go after them with allegations that their vote-rigging evidence is false.

One may call Putin many things but 'stupid' isn't one of them.

[Fool Count]

5. The fact is there is no need for Putin to rig anything as all polls have him at 62-65%

support and he will easily win in the first round. That's the opposition who has an interest
of falsely accusing him of election fraud. They already scheduled a meeting to protest that
"fraud" for the day after the election, even before any alleged fraud could even take place.
Surely they will need some "evidence" to present to their supporters. That's not to say that
there won't be any violations, as local sycophants will compete for the title of most pro-Putin
locality in Russia, but that will hardly affect the overall result or legitimacy of the future
Putin presidency.

[Brettongarcia]

2. Dolls within dolls within dolls. Or? Russians suppress voter-fraud videos, as "fake"?

What's the truth, in Russia? Layers inside of layers.

[fasttense]

3. I'm sure the RepubliCONS will be using this tactic next. n/t

[tanyev]

4. Was it James O'Kiev?