A science fiction writer and a rabbi, the latest victims of Putin

The ukrainian war is increasingly limiting freedom of expression in Russia. Its citizens cannot even speak of war but of “special operation”. All those who demonstrate publicly face denunciations and exile as the only way to avoid prison sentences. In the last hours two important personalities of the Russian public life have been put in the center of the target. It’s about the science fiction writer Dmitry Glukhovsky and the great rabbi Pinches Goldschmidt.

The novelist Glukhovsky has spoken out against the war and has criticized Vladimir Putin, whom he accuses of being the main person responsible for the invasion, for which he has been charged by a Russian court, which ordered the arrest of the writer on Tuesday in the absence of the writer. who faces up to 10 years in prison for criticizing Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. The Kremlin tightened its legislation in March with the approval of the law on repression of “false information” about the Russian Armywith the aim of facing an “information war without precedent”.

Glukhovsky, 42 years old and author of the post-apocalyptic novel “Metro 2033″, could be abroad, from where he has defended himself: “I am accused of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces for a post on Instagram. I am ready to repeat everything that was said: ‘Stop the war! Admit that this is a war against the entire nation and stop it!”

Glukhvsky could probably never have imagined in any of his novels a dystopian present like the one he himself is experiencing after being included in a list of wanted persons by the Ministry of the Interior, the author of Metro 2033.

The novelist has been one of the latest victims of the wave of repression that has been unleashed in Russia after the start of the invasion against dissenting voices, which has led thousands of Russians to leave the country.

Among them is Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, who traveled to Israel to care for his father recovering from illness. He recently revealed in an interview with The Times that he has been advised not to return to Russia following his critical stance against the war. Goldschmidt has recently been re-elected chief rabbi in the Russian capital for another seven-year term despite his self-imposed exile.

Russia has a Jewish community of 500,000 people.