James Rodgers is an academic at City University and he used to be a journalist. He was a foreign correspondent for the BBC and worked in Russia for long periods between 1991 and 2009.


As an immigrant from one of the first countries to legalize gay marriage, I agree with you [about Putin treating LGBT people badly]! However, a lot of people I see are just blaming Putin. […] We also have to consider the public who voted for him. Some of those people are most likely agreeing with him and voting for it. I saw this in another comment, but if gay men are being murdered for being gay, I suppose some of Russia must agree with him.
From: Notaslubbyseal | Mulgrave Primary School

It is true to say that there is a lot of anti-gay prejudice in Russia. People who support gay rights have been fined for their activities. The European Court of Human Rights decided in the summer that one of Russia’s laws ‘encouraged homophobia’, but that does not mean that Russia will change the law. Being gay was illegal in Russia until 1993, and there are still a lot of people who are against LGBT rights.


Safety is more important [than freedom] because if people don’t feel safe they will get in to wars. If you are involved in a war then lots of people are in danger and they lose their freedom anyway. For example in Syria people are running away as they are not safe to stay in their homes. They have lost the freedom to enjoy their lives.
From: LP | Chiltern Way Academy

This is a very interesting point, and one which is relevant to the way that Russia has been governed since Mr Putin first became the President in the year 2000. For most of the last century, Russia was a Communist country. That meant that everyone was supposed to be equal, but in fact senior people in the Communist Party had privileges which other people did not. While Russia was a Communist country, the Communist Party was in charge, and other political parties did not exist. In 1991, the Communist Party lost power. After that, people had more freedom, but many also became very poor – while a very few became very rich. For that reason, a lot of Russians, especially people who remember the 1990s, think that democracy means that people will be poor. For the first years that Mr Putin was in power, many ordinary Russians became better off, and they are very grateful for that. Others, though, want more freedom and say that they want another President. Many of them went out onto the streets to protest on October 7th, which was Mr Putin’s birthday.

"While the UK and Russia do have their differences at the moment, the leaders of both countries understand that there are many ways of addressing these without going to war."
James Rodgers


Is it illegal for Vladimir Putin to be in power for more than 17 years or because he is the government and ruler of Russia does it not matter?
From: Bat Queen211 | Michael Faraday Primary School

No, it is not illegal. Mr Putin served two terms as President of Russia from 2000-2008. The Russian constitution – the laws which say how the country must be governed – only allow a president to serve two consecutive terms. So in 2008, Mr Putin stepped down as president, only to return when he won the Presidential election in 2012. In March, he is expected to stand for President again. A victory then – and he faces no serious opposition – would permit him to stay in power until 2024.


In your opinion do you think that the UK should start a war with Russia?
From: LionessLion | Allhallows Primary Academy

I think that would be a disastrous idea, and thankfully it is not likely to happen. While the UK and Russia do have their differences at the moment, which means that they often disagree, the leaders of both countries understand that there are many ways of addressing these without going to war. For example, western countries have currently put sanctions on Russia. That means that some businesses are not working with Russia in the way they did before, so Russia is not able to get all the things it wants from other countries.


You are not free if you can’t speak up because you don’t have freedom of speech or press and that’s one of the main things in freedom.
I think people should speak up anyway, even if they could get hurt or maybe even killed. They are standing up for Russia, and will go right into our history books.
From: StarryLilacUnicorn | Streatham Wells Primary School

There are a lot of people who would agree that you are not free if you are not able to say what you want. There are lots of examples throughout history of people being hurt or killed for speaking up. In Russia in the last twenty years, there have unfortunately been examples of both politicians and journalists being killed, but the people who agreed with them do their best to make sure that they are remembered for what they stood for.
very hard to repy to
huskycake
one boy in Russia has get on Internet and he get caught by Russian security.
Mr Cole
Freedom is one of the many things that you need in your life. If we didn’t have freedom nobody would be away from anybody. We wouldn’t be out and about you would hardly see the bright days. Also sometimes we just need freedom it’s a very big part in life.
Little miss naenae
I agree , Little miss naenae , freedom is a key point in many societies around the world and it is a shame that in most places around the world people are restricted from freedom , just because of their believes and lifestyle choices.
LoopyLama
In 1825 World war started. people’s houses getting bombed the tank fired every people wanted freedom.
Mr Loyed
Hey Mr Loyed,
The first world war was in 1914-1918. Do you mean the Java war that was in 1825? Also Tanks weren’t invented until the first world war. Remember to research facts before posting!
-The~Asgardian~Reporter!
Sources :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_War
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ww1+dates&oq=ww1+&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l4.1751j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/how-britain-invented-the-tank-in-the-first-world-war
For this freedom to continue we have to help Russia or not what do you think?
Mr Loyed
I think that you should always help some ally friends out because they helped us out for m World War 2.
#Priceless Bunnie
I think that Russian people should let gay people and lesbians mate if they want to because people have human rights and it is not fair. Also I think that more lesbians and more gay people should protest because in the past people have protested.
PogbaRaven#1
My Question
Is it okay to be a president and be gay/lesbian? If it is then why aren’t people killing them! It’s not right to kill someone who’s not power!
By: RaventheDonut
No! RaventheDonut you can’t be lesbian/guei to be a presedent
By little miss Dj
RUSSIA RIGHTS
.Why is this so important there is no point of this it is just wrong people don’t need to be treated like this. What is the problem with people loving other people which are the same sex to them. Why are LGBT people called Gay Lesbian and all the other names the are human just like us. They DON’T need to be called different names. It is just not fair for them.
Epic Raven
I agree with you but it is there choice and country. So I know what you are trying to say but what I want to say is, God made like that and it isn’t our probable
It there probable .
From: Nice Raven
If people did not have human rights, no power and no rights in particular what are we humans supposed to do are we met them to go around with safely and having freedom?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
#Proceless Bunnie
And what can you do if you can’t have a speech or a comment about anything.
#Priceless Bunnie
I agree with you because I very much doubt Vladimir Putin is going to have a change of heart very soon.
KaraokeKat
I agree KaraokeKat Putin will never let anything get in his way
LoopyLama
I think president Puti is illegally you Russian president for timewise . Jeffreycat
I think that Russia should have the same rights as us because they are human and instead of watching the Wars we should join in and prevent it from happening to make the world a peaceful and stable world.
#jeffreycat
It isn’t just Russia that need to have the same rights as us however they are who we need to concerntrate on
Please add your Hub handle in your reply to this comment! Olivia
i think you should have freedom loopylamma because Russia is a big pace and plus internet should be used!!
#FunnyBunny12
yes is should be used because if the internet is not being used it will just go to wast and that should not go to wast because other people have no homes and nothing so we want to make the world a better place so fight children fight for the world because if we don’t we are horrible to the world so if we want to live be a better person for your own good because other people out there may be dieing because they don’t have food or a house. SO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE ON NOW!!!!!!!!!!
#FunntBunny12