Sir, – Three attention-seeking adolescents grossly disrespect a place of worship and Amnesty International makes a fool of itself, again, by calling the trio “prisoners of conscience” (World News, July 31st). Your Editorial (July 31st) dutifully echoes the Amnesty refrain. It must have been a slow day for news.
The common-sense reaction of the Russian populace to the arrest and prosecution of the trio trumps the nonsense of this so-PC obsession with “free speech” which, like the proverbial “free lunch”, doesn’t really exist. Free speech, like so many other “rights” carries with it countervailing “obligations” and we have laws to hold the balance.
“Disturbing the peace” seems an appropriate charge for gross anti-social behaviour of this nature. One can hope that the sentence mandates compulsory attendance at some lectures in civics for the culprits. – Yours, etc,