Berija's victims to be made public by 2028?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the acknowledgment and potential release of a list of victims associated with Lavrentiy Beria, a historical figure known for his role in the Soviet regime. Participants explore the implications of the timeline for releasing this information, the context of historical memory, and the impact of social movements on public perception.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the validity of a claim found on Wikipedia regarding the release of Beria's victims' names in 2028, noting the lack of citation.
  • Another participant provides a link to a paywalled article that discusses Beria's files, suggesting it is a credible source.
  • Some participants express concern about the long wait until 2028, linking it to societal changes and movements like "me-too".
  • There is speculation about the contents of the files and the potential political implications of their release, with one participant suggesting that the delay might allow certain historical figures' reputations to fade.
  • A participant references a legal principle regarding the anonymity of rape victims, questioning how it might apply in this context.
  • One participant attempts to clarify that the names may have already been made public in 2003, citing Wikipedia, and expresses confusion about the 2028 date.
  • There is acknowledgment of the potential for misinformation on platforms like Wikipedia, with participants reflecting on the nature of historical narratives.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the timeline for the release of the victims' names, with some asserting it has already occurred while others reference the 2028 date. There is ongoing uncertainty about the accuracy of the information and the implications of the release.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the potential for edits on Wikipedia to affect the information presented, highlighting the limitations of relying on such sources for historical claims.

sbrothy
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I suddenly have a history/politics question but I'm not active on any history forums. Then I remembered this forum. Maybe you people know something. My google searches come up short:

"The Russian government acknowledged Sarkisov's handwritten list of Beria's [rape -] victims in 2003; the victims' names will be released in 2028.[citation needed]."
- - - - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavrentiy_Beria

I stumbled on the above curious "fact" just browsing wikipedia but as you can see there's no citation (and I can't find thd usual "Talk" - link). Anyone heard of this before? Not that the man was an a**hole and a rapist, mind, I've never doubted that. But this list thingy is new to me. I know it's just wikipedia. Still though...

EDIT: I found the Talk-page via google but no clue there.
 
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Oh, thanks. So it's really true. That's an awful long time. I guess they didn't see the "me-too" movement coming.
 
Who knows what else is in these files. They barely bother any trends or movements. Berja is widely seen as who he was, but e.g. Stalin has still some reputation and followers. 2028 seems to be long enough to let them pass away or at least turn the issue into history rather than politics.
 
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fresh_42 said:
long enough to let them pass away or at least turn the issue into history rather than politics.
I like this phrase.
Its a Kuhnian transformation.
 
epenguin said:
NB This Times article is from Jan 2003.
... which is why the entire calculation is correct: 2003 + 25 = 2028.
 
fresh_42 said:
... which is why the entire calculation is correct: 2003 + 25 = 2028.
OK, just in case anyone read that as recent news.

It occurred to me that, lending the Russian justice system more credit than perhaps everyone would, there might have been a very cautious application of the principle that, in UK law - I don't know about others - guarantees lifetime anonymity to rape victims.
 
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Just in case someone misunderstands my "me-too" - comment... I was *not* trying to make a (supremely distasteful) joke (at the poor victims' expense). It was an (admittedly weak) attempt at putting it into perspective. Of course they couldn't anticipate the (specific type of) social upheavel in the future. (Here I'm tempted to make a pun on 20/20 hindsight from the year 2020 but the subject is just nauseating)...
 
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I may have to correct this. It seems they were already made public in 2003. I dunno where I got 2028 from. But wiki says:

"In 2003, the Russian government acknowledged Sarkisov's handwritten list of Beria's victims, which reportedly contains hundreds of names.[74] The victims' names were also released to the public in 2003.[74]"
-- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavrentiy_Beria

Admittedly it did seem to me to be a long wait.

EDIT: Given the nature of Wiki someone could've edited it.
EDIT: But man what a nasty fella.
 

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