Gennady Gudkov

Background

Gudkov received a degree in languages from Kolomna State Pedagogical Institute in 1978. He joined the KGB, the Soviet Union's national security agency, in 1981, working there for the next decade and finishing at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He later held a post in the Federal Security Service until 2001.

Duma career

Gudkov was first elected to the State Duma in a by-election of the Kolomna 106th District on 18 March 2001, joining the People's Party of the Russian Federation. Gudkov won the seat again in the 2003 and 2007 legislative elections.

Gudkov was serving as deputy chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Security during the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis, in which 40-50 Chechen Islamist separatists took over a theater holding 850 people. He blamed the failure of security forces to prevent the attack on a systematic destruction of state security institutions following the fall of the Soviet Union. In 2004, he denied allegations that Russia was responsible for the death of former Chechen president Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, stating that the KGB's overseas assassination squad had long been disbanded.

Following the Nazran raid, in which Chechen rebels killed 90 people at police facilities in Ingushetia, Gudkov supported President Vladimir Putin's firings of top military officials, stating, "[t]he general staff made serious mistakes regarding the military structures' actions in Chechnya." He stated that "This will go on until we ourselves learn how to prevent terrorist acts, until we learn how to carry out effective operations to destroy terrorists" and called for better pay for security forces to attract better quality personnel and prevent corruption, stating that the latter may have contributed to the Beslan school hostage crisis. He also supported a law allowing undercover security officers to commit illegal acts such as buying guns or drugs in the course of their duties.

Opposition to Putin

In March 2004, following a weak performance by the People's Party in the recent legislative elections, Gudkov succeeded Gennady Raikov as chairman of the party. Gudkov later became a member of Putin's United Russia party, before switching in 2007 to the populist Just Russia party, many of whose members oppose Putin. In September of that year, he criticized a bill supported by United Russia allowing Gazprom, Transneft, and other corporations to train and arm private security forces, calling it a Pandora's box. In October, he complained that United Russia "will not allow opponents" and that Russia was becoming a one-party state, and in December 2008, he sought to amend and clarify a Duma bill greatly expanding the definition of treason. In March 2009, he criticized legislation by Dmitry Medvedev to ban political parties with less than a 7% nationwide vote from parliament, saying that "only an incorrigible optimist could consider that a pro-democracy move".

In October 2011, Gudkov said that due to lack of free debate, "a huge negative energy among the public ready to explode any moment". The following month, he broke ranks with his party's moderate criticism of Putin and warned that major street protests could result if United Russia committed electoral fraud in the impending election. In the speech, Gudkov stated that "our elections are a mix of abuse of administrative resources and work going ahead at full speed to ensure falsification". Footage of the speech became a popular video on Russian blogs.

Over the next year, Gudkov became a frequent participant and leader in public protests against Putin. In January 2012, a secret recording of a conversation between Gudkov and politician Vladimir Ryzhkov was released in which the two appeared to discuss how to undermine other anti-Putin forces; the two called it a plot to sow distrust between opposition groups. In June, Gudkov's son Dmitry Gudkov, also a Duma deputy, led a filibuster against a bill allowing large fines for anti-government protesters. Gennady Gudkov also spoke against the bill, stating that by removing outlets for protest, the legislation was putting Russia on "a sure path to a civil war". The Economist described the filibuster as "the most striking act of parliamentary defiance in the Putin era".

Following Gudkov's opposition, his private security firm, Oskord, became the target of "a campaign of raids and investigations from a variety of bodies, from the fire department to the Moscow architectural committee". Permission for its guards to carry firearms was revoked, making its usual security operations difficult. Gudkov estimated in July that he had lost 40% of his business.

Expulsion from Duma

In August 2012, a special committee of the Duma was formed to investigate allegations that Gudkov had violated parliamentary rules by making money from the construction firm Kolomensky Stroitel while also holding his seat. The Prosecutor General and Investigative Committee presented evidence that Gudkov had broken anti-corruption laws, and the minutes of a Kolomensky Stroitel meeting with Gudkov's signature was given as evidence of his business activity.

On 15 September 2012, Gudkov was stripped of his seat in the Duma by a vote of 291 to 150. Gudkov called the vote a farce, saying "This is a reprisal. It is not a court." A Just Russia party leader Sergei Mironov described Gudkov's expulsion as "unlawful revenge". United Russia Deputy Andrei Isayev stated that Gudkov had to be stripped of his seat, arguing, "People expect fairness: Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. We cannot undermine that hope of our people."

Analysts described the vote as part of a broader crackdown against Putin's critics, noting the recent charges against anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny. The Economist wrote that "like, in a way, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the question is not whether Mr Gudkov ran afoul of Russian law but rather why Russian law seems to matter so little to his peers who keep themselves in the Kremlin’s better graces."

Family

Gudkov is married and has two sons, Dmitry and Vladimir. Dmitry is also a State Duma deputy (formerly also for the Just Russia party).