The broadcasting of explicit footage of Muammar Gaddafi’s death was revolting, declared Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
“People within the journalistic community should realize what they are doing and bear moral responsibility for that,” Putin said at a session of the coordinating council of Russia’s Popular Front. “All the world TV channels showed this man, stained with blood, wounded but still alive and being clubbed to death – this is disgusting.”
The prime minister added that none of the world religions would approve of such a thing.
“I am not talking about the political aspect,” Putin stressed. “This is a separate topic – a civil war is underway there. But it’s not good that all this appears on the screens for millions of people, including children, to see.”
The shocking video hit television screens on October 20, when the deposed Libyan leader, who had ruled the country for 42 years, died shortly after being captured alive by National Transitional Council fighters near his hometown of Sirte. The circumstances of his capture are still unclear, but NATO aircraft are confirmed to have fired on his convoy as it drove from the city.
Gaddafi’s body remained on display at a shopping center in the city of Misrata before being buried at a secret location in the Libyan desert on October 25.