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Revision as of 14:15, 2 January 2010
| Johan Bäckman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1971-05-18) 18 May 1971 (age 53) |
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Alma mater | University of Helsinki |
| Known for | controversial views, pro-Russian statements, criticism of the Estonian government, anti-fascist activity |
Erkki Johan Bäckman (born 18 May 1971) is a controversial Finnish political author, legal sociologist and criminologist, holding adjunct professorships in several Finnish universities.
He received his training in sociology at the University of Helsinki, where he defended his Ph.D. in 2006, and is now an adjunct professor in the sociology of law. He is also an adjunct professor in criminology at the University of Turku and the University of Joensuu. He has taught courses on the sociology of law, criminology, and Russian studies in several Finnish universities.
Bäckman has written books, some of which highly controversial, about Finnish-Soviet relations during the Cold War, war history of Finland and the Soviet Union, organized crime in Russia and Estonia, the Russian Mafia, terrorism, and history of Estonia. As a spokesman for the Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee he is against the integration policies of Estonia and Latvia, claiming they are "apartheid policies" .
Bäckman and Russia
Bäckman has frequently travelled to Russia since 1993, and is fluent in Russian. In 2000, he established a publishing institution named the Johan Beckman [sic] Institute in Saint Petersburg.
In March 2002, during a military historical festival in Suojärvi in the Republic of Karelia which was dedicated to the 62nd anniversary of the end of the Winter War, Bäckman made a sensational claim that the modern authorities of Finland propagated the idea that the Russian people are genetically inferior and expected Russia to collapse in about twenty years. The other participants at the festival considered that he unreasonably overestimated the extent of anti-Russian sentiment in Finland. According to Bäckman's article "Finland without a mask" (the title alludes to a 1943 proclamation by Otto Wille Kuusinen), published in Russian in May 2002, the Finns in general consider themselves a superior nation, all Russian women prostitutes, and all Russian men thieves and bandits. During 2002, Bäckman gained an odious reputation both in Russia and among his Finnish colleagues.
In 2002, Bäckman publicly accused the Foreign Ministry of Finland of Russophobia and racism. He claimed that the ministry was preparing a campaign to smear Russia and return the territories lost in the Paris Peace Treaty.
In 2003, Johan Beckman Institute published the book Finland and the Siege of Leningrad 1941-1944 by the Russian historian Nikolai Baryshnikov. The Saint Petersburg legislature awarded Bäckman Marshal Govorov Literature Prize (2003) for that. Historian Timo Vihavainen, a historian at the University of Helsinki described it as "a book built on Stalinist propaganda stereotypes". Vihavainen also said that Baryshnikov had misunderstood some of the language in Finnish archive documents. Bäckman and Baryshnikov threatened to sue Vihavainen. Bäckman is highly critical of the modern Finnish historiography of World War II and challenges the traditional Finnish ideas that Finland waged a separate Continuation War against the aggression of the USSR. According to Bäckman, the Finns participated in the Siege of Leningrad actively and asked Hitler to destroy the city. He speculates that Finland also planned an ethnic cleansing in Karelia in order to create a Fenno-Ugric superpower, possibly stretching as far as the Urals, or even to the river Yenisei, which he claimed is proven by vast amounts of documents and in several Finnish history books by Helge Seppälä, Osmo Hyytiä and Nikolai Baryshnikov.
Bäckman's views of Vladimir V. Putin
In his 2007 book Finland washed with Anna Politkovskaya's blood (Template:Lang-fi, Literally: Satan Arrives to Helsinki, which alludes to Saatana saapuu Moskovaan, the Finnish language title for The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov) he supported the conspiracy theory that Anna Politkovskaya assassination was organized by circles who wanted to smear the Russian president Vladimir Putin. Bäckman even hints that Politkovskaya was depressed and ordered her own murder. According to Bäckman, Politkovskaya was an American agent. He also criticizes Finns' reaction to the murder of the Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Bäckman accused Finnish Green League politician Heidi Hautala and the Finnish media of inciting hatred towards Russia and Vladimir Putin. Hautala, depicted on the book cover (pictured), saw this as a smear campaign, but refused to take legal action, preferring to allow the book to speak for itself.
Johan Bäckman admires Vladmir Putin, crediting all recent successes of Russia to Putin's personality and health. He has compared Putin to Cold War-era Finnish president Urho Kekkonen, and claimed he wishes Putin would likewise rule Russia for 26 years. He stated that Finland also needs organizations such as the pro-Kremlin Nashi and Walking Together. According to Bäckman, the freedom of the press in Russia is considerably higher than in Finland, and Estonia is not free at all.
Bäckman has denied that he is an agent of the FSB.
Bäckman has been an active commentator for Russian press during the Anton incident in 2009. Later Bäckman apologized his behaviour, and promised not to intervene the incident.
Bäckman and Estonia
Bäckman's writings, published in Finland and Estonia, have been regarded as pro-Putin and anti-Estonian. Bäckman has stated that Estonia "does not exist" as a sovereign state. In relation to Bäckman's controversial writings regarding Estonia, Bäckman is considered an agent of influence for Russian Federation by Estonian counterintelligence.
According to Bäckman, the Estonians and Finns are actually one nation and the Republic of Estonia should be united with Finland where it could still have an autonomy.
The Bronze Soldier book
In his highly controversial book about the Estonian Bronze Soldier Pronssisoturi: Viron patsaskiistan tausta ja sisältö, published in Finnish in 2008, Bäckman argues against the integration policies of Estonia. In his opinion, Estonian integration policies that have see some 147,000 Russian speakers receiving Estonian citizenship in the past decade are "apartheid" and represent a "criminal discrimination of Russians". In the Bronze Soldier he dismissed the Soviet occupation of Estonia as a "Nazi myth". Bäckman has gained wide publicity in Estonia for denying the Soviet occupation during 1940-1941 and 1944-1991:
"In my opinion speaking or writing of Soviet "occupation" should be criminalised as a form of racist propaganda.
In connection to the publication of the book in September 2008, Bäckman gave several controversial interviews, e.g. one in which he claimed Estonia will join Russia within a decade. Bäckman also claimed that the "destruction" of the Bronze Soldier grave site and monument in April 2007 by the Estonian government was "the end of history of Estonia". He speculated that most of the Russian youth all over Russia, including children, hate Estonia and deny her the right to exist. Bäckman went on to predict that in ten years at most, the Nashi would come to power in Russia, leading to an end of the Estonian statehood shortly afterwards.
After the publication of the book, a number of Finnish and Estonian cultural figures, scholars, journalists and politicians, including Henrik Lax, Lasse Lehtinen and Sofi Oksanen, addressed the University of Helsinki in an open letter of protest, partly in relation to Bäckman teaching a course on "specialities of Estonian legal policy" in the Spring 2009 semester. Bäckman immediately threatened to sue letter's authors for libel and later filed a criminal complaint, but Helsinki Police refused to open investigation. The former minister of foreign affairs of Finland Dr. Erkki Tuomioja called Bäckman's book as "deliberate provocation", but condemned the open letter for violating the principles of freedom of speech. The University of Helsinki distanced itself in a statement holding that Bäckman's political views are his own and do not represent the University's.
Nashi protests in Helsinki
In March 2009 Bäckman as part of the Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee arranged a series of protests in Helsinki attended by activists of Russian Nashi, Night Watch, against what they called the opening a new anti-Russian front of information warfare on the territory of Finland by Estonian embassy. Also Abdullah Tammi and his followers from the prospective Finnish Islamic Party participated. The protests were aimed aganst seminars, against a book about the Soviet occupation of Estonia, and against films presented by the Estonian embassy in Finland, especially the film Soviet Story by Edvins Snore. In media commentaries for Swedish, Finnish and Russian press, television and radio, Bäckman claimed that the Soviet Union did not occupy Estonia, and belittled the significance of the Soviet deportations from Estonia.
Counter-intelligence assessments
See also: Russian influence operations in EstoniaThe Estonian counter-intelligence agency Kaitsepolitsei (KAPO) has claimed that Bäckman is "a Russian propagandist" spreading disinformation similar to the claims Moscow makes.
In March 2009, the newspaper Eesti Ekspress reported a link between Bäckman and the well-known Finnish neo-nazi Risto Teinonen, both of them being connected to the alleged former KGB agent Vladimir Ilyashevich residing in Estonia, and all of them are linked to the young Muscovite historian Alexander Dyukov. In the assessment by Kaitsepolitseiamet, Bäckman, Teinonen and Ilyashevich are working as a team with support from Moscow, attempting to undermine the names of many good people, the relations between Finland and Estonia, and the Republic of Estonia itself.
Finnish counter-intelligence has not commented on Bäckman publicly. Regarding Nashi-demonstrations organised by Bäckman in Helsinki March 2009, the Finnish security police spokesman replied they heard "rumours" about the demonstrations but would not comment on issues regarding free democratic activism.
Expulsion from Estonia
On 26 April 2009, Bäckman was detained after his disembarkation off a ferry in the Tallinn Passenger Port and expelled from the country under a brief entry prohibition. Among reasons for expulsion, the Estonian Minister of Internal Affairs lists first of all twelve statements by Bäckman in the Estonian press and in his blog, claiming Estonia is an "apartheid" regime that "falsifies" history. Helsingin Sanomat pointed out such prohibition against entry into Estonia by Finnish citizens is extremely rare. Previously such entry bans have been issued to some Finns suspected of connections with racist movements.
Politics
Bäckman considers the Taistoists movement of the 1970s, the hardline pro-Soviet faction in the Communist Party of Finland, as "the best thing that happened in the history of Finland", "We can thank the Taistoists for high-quality science, art and culture we enjoy today" claims Bäckman. Bäckman was an independent candidate for European Parliament election in 2009 on the Workers Party of Finland list. He got 554 votes and was not allocated a seat.
Awards
The Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg awarded Bäckman Marshal Govorov Literature Prize (2004) for publishing the book Finland and the Siege of Leningrad 1941-1944 by the Russian historian Nikolai Baryshnikov.
Works
- Bäckman, Johan (1996). Venäjän organisoitu rikollisuus. Helsinki: Oikeuspoliittinen tutkimuslaitos. ISBN 951-704-191-8.
- Bäckman, Johan (1997). Liikkeenjohto Venäjän muutoksessa. Helsinki: WSOY. ISBN 951-0-21672-0.
- Bäckman, Johan (1998). The inflation of crime in Russia: The social danger of the emerging markets. Helsinki: National Research Institute of Legal Policy. ISBN 951-704-211-6.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|Kieli=ignored (help) - Bäckman, Johan (1999). ”Sudella on sata tietä...”: Pietarin organisoitu rikollisuus Venäjän rikosoikeuskulttuurin kehyksessä. Helsinki: Oikeuspoliittinen tutkimuslaitos. ISBN 951-704-240-X.
- Bäckman, Johan (2001). Entäs kun tulee se yhdestoista? Suomettumisen uusi historia. Helsinki: WSOY. ISBN 951-0-25654-4.
- Bäckman, Johan (2006). Itämafia: Uhkakuvapolitiikka, rikosilmiöt ja kulttuuriset merkitykset. Espoo: Poliisiammattikorkeakoulu. ISBN 951-815-112.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - Bäckman, Johan (2007). Saatana saapuu Helsinkiin: Anna Politkovskajan murha ja Suomi. Helsinki: Russia Advisory Group. ISBN 978-952-99785-1-9.
Sources
- eesti.ca 4 December 2008: Jarmo Virmavirta: väljakutse iseseisvusele PM
References
- "Oikeussosiologia 2008-2009". University of Helsinki. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
- "Dosentti Johan Bäckman, VTT". University of Turku. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
- http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/val/sosio/vk/backman/abstract.html
- http://www.helsinki.fi/rpol/esittely/henkilosto.htm
- http://notes.utu.fi/ty/webexper.nsf/031b9e8464cecb05c22564dd003abe2e/9b3aa972eae3fe4ec22573b700208d2b?OpenDocument
- http://www.politika-karelia.ru/cgi-bin/articles_print.cgi?id=32
- Publication index of Johan Beckman Institute http://www.ruslania.com/language-4/entity-1/context-289/publisher-1039.html
- http://www.rep.ru/20Mar2002/society/01.html
- http://www.politika-karelia.ru/cgi-bin/articles_print.cgi?id=32
- http://www.rep.ru/10Apr2002/society/02.html
- http://www.politika-karelia.ru/shtml/article.shtml?id=28
- http://www.gov.karelia.ru/Karelia/990/39.html
- http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=9118
- ^ Helsingin Sanomat: Book accuses media and Green MP of inciting anti-Russian sentiment (2007-03-01)
- ^ Десять лет, которые потрясут Эстонию Den' za Dnyom Template:Ru icon
- ^ http://www.apn-spb.ru/publications/article2329.htm
- http://www.apn-spb.ru/publications/article2316.htm
- Iltasanomat: Antonin äiti: Tuomio on epäoikeudenmukainen - katso video (in Finnish)
- RIA Novosti: Russian woman convicted of kidnapping own son in Finland
- Johan Bäckman: Johan Bäckmanin julkinen anteeksipyyntö Paavo Saloselle (in Finnish)
- Helsingin Sanomat: Johan Bäckman haluaa sovitella riidat Paavo Salosen kanssa (in Finnish)
- Eesti Ekspress 23 February 2009 12:43: Räige Eesti-vastane kampaania käib kolmes riigis korraga, edited by Askur Alas
- ves.lv 6 March 2009 13:02: "Эстония? Нет такого государства!", interview by Yelena Slyusareva
- Õhtuleht 23 September 2008: Johan Bäckman on Vene propagandist by Allar Viivik
- "Bäckman: Soome ja Eesti – üks rahvas – üks riik!" (in Estonian). 29 Apr 2009. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/artikkeli/1135239739349
- Template:De icon "Estland in zehn Jahren Teil der Russischen Föderation". Der Standard. 2008-09-11. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
- Bäckman: Eesti on teel otse põrgusse Eesti Päevaleht 11 August 2008 Template:Et icon
- Finnish writer: Estonia to lose independence in 10 years Baltic Business News 11 August 2008
- Эстония прямиком движется в ад Molodezh Estonii 15 August 2008
- http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/artikkeli/1135239710765
- Poliisi tyrmäsi dosentin epäilyt
- Tuomioja, Erkki (October 2008). "Pitäisikö provosoitua?". Retrieved 2009-03-31.
- http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/artikkeli/1135239739349
- Helsingi ülikool distantseerus Bäckmani seisukohtadest Postimees 27 March 2008 Template:Et icon
- ^ Helsingin Sanomat: Hundreds of listeners and a handful of protesters attend publication of book on Estonia (2007-03-24)
- Viivik, Allar (2008-03-23). "Kapo: milleks aidata Vene propagandamasinat?". SL Õhtuleht (in Template:Et icon). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Askur Alas (18 March 2009). "Üheskoos Eesti vastu: antifašist Bäckman ja natsimeelne Teinonen". Eesti Ekspress (in Template:Et icon). Retrieved 2009-03-31.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - http://www.uusisuomi.fi/kotimaa/53880-supo-nashien-helsingin-retkesta-”olemme-kuulleet-huhuja”
- "Anti-Estonian Johan Bäckman refused entry at Port of Tallinn". Helsingin Sanomat. 27 April, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Bruun, Staffan (2009-03-22). "Han bjöd in 30 Putinunga" (in Template:Sv). Hufvudstadsbladet. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - "EUROPARLAMENTTIVAALIT 7.6.2009 - Tulos - Koko maa". vaalit.fi (the Official Results by the Ministry of Justice). Retrieved 2009-06-13.