“Thus, an alternative, more contemporary, and inclusive definition and conceptualization of crime is needed. One definition that is gaining increasing legitimacy recognizes that crime is not only a type of deviance that has been codified or has been conceptualized as a violation of a criminal law, but it can be interpreted by the wider body politic as any social harm, moral transgression, and/or civil or human rights violation……This “social justice” perspective acknowledges that some behaviors are not traditionally labeled criminal, but should be, and that certain activities that do not violate the existing law, yet possess the previously mentioned characteristics should be considered crimes (Ross, 2012; p. 1.)”
The acts of Ukraine's police force during the protests in Kiev are considered political crime because the police used unnecessary brutality. The protests were a result of Yanukovych not signing the agreement with Europe and taking Russia's bribe. The citizens of Ukraine were outraged by their president's decision. Yanukovych passed ridiculous anti-protesting laws, which cause the protesters to become more angry. Yanukovych began his plan to "cleanse protesters." Snipers were hired to murder any protesters. The result was 108 deaths, and 1,418 injuries. This is a political crime according to Ross's definition because the police violated human rights. Their human rights of freedom of speech and expression were violated. Most would agree that humans should be able to express their discontent when need be. Yanukovych took severe action against his citizen's desire to express their discontent. Yanukovych, his government, and his police force committed a political crime by creating extreme anti-protest laws and causing the deaths of over 100 civilians in attempt at protester genocide.
Jacqueline Helfgott had a little bit of a different opinion of what political crime is.
Helfgott was more interested in the motives behind the crime. First, it legally had to be a crime. Second, it had to be ideologically motivated. Crimes committed by the state (i.e. Yanukovych murdering the protesters) and crimes against the state are considered political crime.
“A meaningful and comprehensive conceptual definition of political crime must distinguish it from other types of offenses while offering additional insight into the nature and dynamics of the behavior not explainable within the framework of non-ideologically motivated crimes. Given the focus here on criminal behavior, and taking into account (limited) consensus of researchers and writers on the subject, political crime is defined as ideologically motivated behavior that is legally defined as criminal. This definition includes crimes committed against the state as well as those committed by the state to the extent that they are in violation of a particular law. This includes civil and human rights violations committed by the police and governmental agents and agencies, but excludes individual and collective behaviors that may be immoral, questionable, or rooted in institutional racism, or practices that ensure that one group maintains power over another but have not (yet) been deemed illegal (Helfgott, 2008; p. 331).”
A political crime was committed by the pro-Russian rebels located in Donetsk, Ukraine. On July 17, 2014, Malaysian airline MH-17 was mysteriously shot down from the sky, killing all 298 passengers. The pro-Russian rebels tampered with evidence and would not allow investigators near the crash sight. Putin did nothing to help the investigations. He made no attempt to ask the rebels to allow investigators to enter. Nearly a week later investigators were allowed to enter and take the bodies. The rebels had the same missile launcher that was used to take down the plane. U.S. investigators believed the rebels shot the plane mistaking it for a Ukrainian plane. Either way, it was a political crime.
The rebels were ideologically motivated, because they are rebelling against the Ukrainian government. The rebels have been battling Ukraine because they want Ukraine to give in to Putin. They want to join Russia. Their ideological motivation caused them to murder 298 innocent people. Putin's aggression influenced these rebels to commit such a horrible crime. Photographed below is a poster comparing Vladimir Putin to former soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
References
Helfgott, Jacqueline, (Ch. 9) in Criminal Behavior: Theories, Typologies, and Criminal Justice. Sage. p. 331
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10670603/Ukraine-in-pictures-Threat-of-war-between-Ukraine-and-Russia.html
http://www.vosizneias.com/148635/2013/12/08/kiev-ukraine-hundreds-of-thousands-again-hit-with-anti-govt-protest/
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/photography/2014/02/ukraine_protest_photos_police_and_protesters_clash_during_demonstrations.html
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