At a conference on Monday for interethnic relations in Russia, President Vladimir Putin cited a fabricated news story from the state-owned television network Channel One, which claimed that the Austrian Supreme Court acquitted a Middle-Eastern refugee of raping a 10-year-old boy.
Putin mentioned the story in order to explain why Russia should draw on its own experiences with interethnic relations, rather than Europe's.
"You saw what happens — an immigrant raped a child in one of the European countries," the president said. "The court acquitted him for two reasons: one, he did not speak the host country's language; and, two, he didn't know that the boy — and it was a boy — objected."
This was a clear reference to a story Channel One aired on the morning of Oct. 26 about "blatant tolerance" towards immigrants in the EU, featuring a claim about an Iraqi migrant named Amir who was convicted of raping a 10-year-old boy in a swimming pool. According to the story, the rapist's conviction was overturned by the Austrian Supreme Court because the prosecution failed to establish that the defendant understood that his victim objected to his sexual advances.
In reality, the 20-year-old immigrant was not acquitted by the court, but rather is still in state custody awaiting a new trial that will take place in 2017.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
