1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

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

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

  1. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2003
    Messages:
    44,448
    Likes Received:
    1
    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
     
  2. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2003
    Messages:
    11,548
    Likes Received:
    193
    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
     
  3. LadyEagle

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

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2002
    Messages:
    22,028
    Likes Received:
    1
    Wonder how many divinity students are at Gitmo....well, some would probably count Madrassa students as such, no doubt.
    :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
     
  4. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2003
    Messages:
    11,548
    Likes Received:
    193
    Come again?

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
  5. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2003
    Messages:
    44,448
    Likes Received:
    1
    So letting this young man go to prison in Russia for five years would help the detainees in Guantanamo Bay how???
     
  6. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2003
    Messages:
    11,548
    Likes Received:
    193
    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
     
  7. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2003
    Messages:
    44,448
    Likes Received:
    1
    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.
     
  8. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2003
    Messages:
    11,548
    Likes Received:
    193
    I can live with that ;)

    YOurs in Christ

    Matt
     
  9. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2002
    Messages:
    899
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  10. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2000
    Messages:
    16,944
    Likes Received:
    1
    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
     
  11. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2003
    Messages:
    11,548
    Likes Received:
    193
    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
     
  12. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2000
    Messages:
    15,371
    Likes Received:
    2,405
    Faith:
    Baptist
    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.
     
  13. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2003
    Messages:
    11,548
    Likes Received:
    193
    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
     
  14. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2000
    Messages:
    15,371
    Likes Received:
    2,405
    Faith:
    Baptist
    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.)
     
  15. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2002
    Messages:
    899
    Likes Received:
    0
    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
     
  16. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2002
    Messages:
    899
    Likes Received:
    0
    and I would agree - it is a stain on the character of your nation.
     
  17. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2003
    Messages:
    44,448
    Likes Received:
    1
    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?
     
  18. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2000
    Messages:
    15,371
    Likes Received:
    2,405
    Faith:
    Baptist
    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.
     
  19. bobfrgsn

    bobfrgsn New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2003
    Messages:
    330
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  20. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2003
    Messages:
    11,548
    Likes Received:
    193
    As requested by the good Squire and Sue, I have resuscitated my thread on the detainees in the Politics forum.

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
Loading...