I, like many millions, have looked forward to watching the Winter Olympic Games on TV. Frankly, I wasn’t aware that it was being held in Russia and that Putin has spent to such a degree that Sochi is now the most expensive Olympic games ever - Winter or Summer. I have decided not to watch any Olympic coverage on TV for several reasons.

The major reason, for me, is the massive loss of life and injury (including thousands of children and women) in Syria’s civil war, and Russia’s role in perpetuating this unspeakable and unimagineable  tragedy. Russia’s rock solid backing of the current murderous regime’s is beyond my comprehension - how can a so-called civilised country block the necessary action to halt these crimes against humanity and enormous destruction of the country’s infrastructure? How can Putin support such a regime and watch the desperate situation of those Syrians that remain and those 2.5 million who have fled to become stateless, poverty-striken refugees in bordering countries?

And how can Putin effectively approve the use of illegal chemical weapons by what now must be regarded as the worst and most corrupt regime in modern history; matching Hitler in terrorising his own population.

But that’s not all…

Now Putin and Russia has passed a law which gives tacit approval to gay-haters to humiliate and physically harm the homosexual population. The recent Channel 4 documentary called HUNTED provides the most horrific graphic illustration of what Russian gays face today which through a new anti-gay law is going to become more widespread. Imagine a situation where that country’s gay population request safe harbour in countries like the UK because of day-to-to persecution…

It has been reported by various Russians that the new law was acted to distract the Russian population from increasing economic and social woes. The strategy seems to be working.

Freedom of speech and an independent judiciary are the cornerstones of a fair democratic society. Putin has jailed both rich and poor in securing his long-term leadership ambitions. The $30 billion spent at Sochi is doubtless part of this campaign.

And it’s why I will not be watching the BBC coverage of the Winter Olympics. I hope anybody who reads this will do the same, including anyone involved in music..

Something has to be done.   

Thanks you to all the photographers of the above images which illustrate better than I the horrible implications of Putin’s rule.