Sankta simplicita Grigory Pasko, journalist Если Вы хотите прочитать оригинал данной статьи на русском языке, нажмите сюда. There exists such a legend. When on the campo dei Fiori in Rome they were burning Giordano Bruno at the stake, the bonfire suddenly began to die out: either the wind began to blow, or the firewood had gotten damp. From the crowd of onlookers observing the execution, to the pyramid of firewood on which Giordano was tied, there suddenly lunged a sweet little old lady and carefully put an armload of dry straw into the dying flame. The fire flared up with new strength. Looking at this scene, Giordano exclaimed: “Sankta simplicita!” (Holy simplicity!) (It is possible that this story took place at the execution of Jan Hus… In the given instance not this is important). Recently in Oslo the Norwegian Helsinki Group was conducting a seminar for 16 journalists of regional newspapers from Arkhangelsk Oblast. They asked me to appear before them. I spoke about modern-day journalism, about the state and its cruelty in relation to those who think differently and various other “enemies of the people”…In the capacity of an example I gave the abuse of Svetlana Bakhmina, convicted in the YUKOS case. I was prepared to continue giving examples, but suddenly I felt – almost physically – that those present were not showing any reaction at all to Bakhmina’s surname. I asked the audience if they knew who Svetlana Bakhmina is? Two or three nodded. Out of 16! I remind you: these were journalists. Not old babushkas from remote villages of Arkhankelsk guberniya, not little children, not collective farm tractor drivers, who could be forgiven for not knowing what’s going on in the life of the country… Like Giordano, I wanted to exclaim: “Holy simplicity!”