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U.S. CITIZEN TO SPEND 5 YEARS IN FOREIGN PRISON!

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by I Am Blessed 24, Aug 13, 2003.

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  1. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    Today's Action Alert is a little long... but you NEED to read it and take action. And you need to forward it to as many people as you can, as QUICKLY as you can. A fellow human being needs our help NOW.

    Barring a miracle, an innocent U.S. citizen is going to spend five years in a Russian prison for a crime he did not commit. Andrew Okhotin's four months under house arrest and upcoming show trial should outrage anyone who believes in justice. It should also move them to do whatever they can to help.

    According to the ASSIST News Service (assistnews.net), "Andrew Okhotin, a 28-year-old American humanitarian and Harvard divinity student, has spent most of his adult life trying to help the Russian people -- especially those in financial need and those facing persecution for their beliefs. Now, Andrew is experiencing the same persecution suffered by so many of the people he has supported over the years through charitable donations of food, clothing, and money.

    Okhotin's compassion and lifelong commitment to help those in need led him to fly to Moscow on March 29th to deliver $47,500 in charitable contributions to more than 100 needy Russian families. And for his humanitarian efforts, he is facing five years in a foreign prison."

    CLICK HERE TO SIGN LETTER AND/OR READ THE REST OF THE STORY
     
    #1 I Am Blessed 24, Aug 13, 2003
  2. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    Perhaps when the same concern is demonstrated by US citizens towards UK detainees in Guantanamo Bay, I might be persuaded to sign, Until then, methinks double standards.

    YOurs in Christ

    Matt
     
    #2 Matt Black, Aug 13, 2003
  3. LadyEagle

    LadyEagle <b>Moderator</b> <img src =/israel.gif>

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    Wonder how many divinity students are at Gitmo....well, some would probably count Madrassa students as such, no doubt.
    :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
     
    #3 LadyEagle, Aug 13, 2003
  4. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    Come again?

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
    #4 Matt Black, Aug 13, 2003
  5. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    So letting this young man go to prison in Russia for five years would help the detainees in Guantanamo Bay how???
     
    #5 I Am Blessed 24, Aug 13, 2003
  6. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    And setting this man free would help the Guantanamo detainees how?

    I'm just saying that "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
    #6 Matt Black, Aug 13, 2003
  7. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    I am not throwing stones at anyone. I am concerned about ALL detainees. If there was a petition for the detainees from the UK, I would post it also.

    Letting one innocent man go to prison because other innocent men are being detained doesn't make sense to me.

    Two wrongs don't make a right.
     
    #7 I Am Blessed 24, Aug 13, 2003
  8. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    I can live with that ;)

    YOurs in Christ

    Matt
     
    #8 Matt Black, Aug 13, 2003
  9. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

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    I think the point is that you really have no room to complain about an American in Russia experiencing rough justice when your government has hundreds of foreign nationals detained without charge, legal representation or access to any sort of legal redress - you reap what you sow.
     
    #9 InHim2002, Aug 13, 2003
  10. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    InHim2002, please explain more. I have no clue what you're talking about. Who does the U.S. have, where are they, and what are the reasons they are being held in the poor manner you have described?
    Gina
     
    #10 Gina B, Aug 13, 2003
  11. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    Without wishing to put words in his(?) mouth, I think what InHim has in mind are the illegally detained Britons at Guantanamo and also the abrogation of Arts 5 and 6 of your Bill of Rights by the Patriot Act permitting detention without trial. The basic thrust is that when you have put your own house in order, then you can start criticising the Russians

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
    #11 Matt Black, Aug 13, 2003
  12. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    To All: I know Brother Andrei Vladamirovich. He and his family have been a part of the Council of Evangelical-Christian Baptist Churchs International for years. The CEC-BI represents the underground, unregistered EC-B churchs of the former Soviet Union and their immigrant churchs abroad.

    From the looks of it, the Kremlin is simply continuing their standard operating procedures dating from the days of Czar Ivan Grozny. The church operates as the state dictates. By comparison, the Gitmo situation is a blip on the radar of history.
     
    #12 Squire Robertsson, Aug 13, 2003
  13. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    Agreed on that point Squire. Certainly the plight of the unregistered Baptists and other evangelicals has been dire for many years. But I wouldn't call Gitmo a 'blip'; more like a blot or stain on the otherwise good character of the USA

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
    #13 Matt Black, Aug 13, 2003
  14. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    I used the word "blip" only as it pertains to the length of time it has covered. How it plays out for good or ill is another question for another thread. The focus of this thread should be Keep Andy Out of the Gulag. (okay, for the punctilious: I know the Gulag proper has been disbanded. so, pardon my hyperbole.)
     
    #14 Squire Robertsson, Aug 13, 2003
  15. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

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    As Matt said I am referring to the detainees of Guantanamo Bay - they have no legal representation or status - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2671287.stm

    The people there have no legal status, no representation and no rights.

    As I said - you reap what you sow
     
    #15 InHim2002, Aug 13, 2003
  16. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

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    and I would agree - it is a stain on the character of your nation.
     
    #16 InHim2002, Aug 13, 2003
  17. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    InHim: I suggest you start another thread about Gitmo instead of hijacking this one.

    This thread is about keeping one man, a particular man, out of a Russian prison. PERIOD.

    I certainly did not realize it would end up in a debate! I posted information. Either send a letter or don't send a letter. Why does everything have to be debated and argued about?
     
    #17 I Am Blessed 24, Aug 13, 2003
  18. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Further we are talking about a personal aquaintence of mine. So, this thread will now come to order and deal with the situation of Brother Andrei. Period, punkt, end of discussion.
     
    #18 Squire Robertsson, Aug 13, 2003
  19. bobfrgsn

    bobfrgsn New Member

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    The news report seem to indicate that this brother attempted to circumvent the customs procedures and got caught. This is typical of those who think they are serving Christ by breaking laws. I would hate to see him go to jail for stupidity ... and would pray that this can be worked out .. but HE broke the law of the land. Punkt, end of discussion in MHO.
     
    #19 bobfrgsn, Aug 13, 2003
  20. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    As requested by the good Squire and Sue, I have resuscitated my thread on the detainees in the Politics forum.

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
    #20 Matt Black, Aug 14, 2003
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