In what ways is Vladimir Putin behaving like a dictator?

The Kremlin has been accused of a series of murders abroad. But since Putin first took office as president in 2000, Russia itself has been the scene of numerous assassinations targeting dissidents, reporters, human rights activists, and opposition politicians. The death toll among journalists alone reached 28 last year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Here are some of the lowlights of this legacy.  Last month, the Russian human rights organization Memorial published a list of 50 current political prisoners and 108 prisoners held for their religious beliefs. The latter figure is expected to grow as authorities crack down on banned minority groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many more political and religious prisoners have been incarcerated over the course of Putin’s reign. Below are a few of the more high-profile cases. Under Putin, Moscow has supported separatist movements, threatened several neighbors with aggressive military maneuvers, and actually invaded Georgia and Ukraine, where fighting continues to date.

Explanation:

the governor can not veto a referendum that the voters approve