--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not all political prisoners are innocents." description: "\"Not all political prisoners are innocents.\" — David Remnick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/david-remnick-4397_innocents_not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocent_1246821.jpg" --- # Not all political prisoners are innocents. ![“Not all political prisoners are innocents.” quote by David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/david-remnick-4397_innocents_not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocent_1246821.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/david-remnick-4397_innocents_not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocent_1246821.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/david-remnick-4397_innocents_not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocent_1246821.jpg) > “Not all political prisoners are innocents.” [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It suggests that some detained individuals may be guilty, challenging the assumption that all political prisoners are innocent. **In simple terms:** Not all political detainees are innocent. Key Takeaway Question motives before judgment. Themes politics justice human rights Mood skeptical reflective Type analytical critical When to use this quote - legal analysis - human rights advocacy - media reporting Key Concepts ethics power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do we verify claims of innocence? - What criteria define a political prisoner? A Different Perspective Some regimes label dissenters as criminals, blurring lines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innocents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocents/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-prisoners/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoners/) [Prisoners Innocents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoners-innocents-3913907/) ## Related quotes > [ Of course, no state accepts \[that it should call\] the people it is imprisoning or detaining for political reasons, political prisoners. They don't call… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/of-course-no-state-accepts-that-it-should-call-the-people-it-is/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [There was never in my mind a desire to give in on the subject of freeing the political prisoners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bourassa/there-was-never-in-my-mind-a-desire-to-give-in-on-the-subject-of/) [Robert Bourassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bourassa/) > [My sense, and I'm sort of guessing, is that the journalists were being classified by the government as common criminals, and the political prisoners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-braver/my-sense-and-i-m-sort-of-guessing-is-that-the-journalists-were-being/) [Adam Braver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-braver/) > [With Pussy Riot - this was a prank! It was a brilliant, artistically gifted prank. But they didn't expect to go to prison! They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/with-pussy-riot-this-was-a-prank-it-was-a-brilliant-artistically/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [People don't even know that we have political prisoners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sekou-odinga/people-don-t-even-know-that-we-have-political-prisoners/) [Sekou Odinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sekou-odinga/) > [We now live in a country with a thousand political prisoners, a country where each week there are new trials, where people are put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/we-now-live-in-a-country-with-a-thousand-political-prisoners-a/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [The West has political prisoners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/the-west-has-political-prisoners/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Individual rights always go along with the interests of the society. I want to add that in Vietnam we have no political prisoners. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/individual-rights-always-go-along-with-the-interests-of-the-society-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are no 'political prisoners' as such in Bahrain. People are not arrested because they express their views, we only have criminals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamad-bin-isa-al-khalifa/there-are-no-political-prisoners-as-such-in-bahrain-people-are-not/) [Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamad-bin-isa-al-khalifa/) > [Cuban agents are assigned to a Catholic Church where their instructions are to beat, jail and intimidate the Ladies In White that attend Mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/cuban-agents-are-assigned-to-a-catholic-church-where-their/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [What I have experienced is nothing compared to what political prisoners in prisons suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/what-i-have-experienced-is-nothing-compared-to-what-political/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [There should be no political prisoners in a democratic country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/there-should-be-no-political-prisoners-in-a-democratic-country/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Writing is powerful. Whether it's a little girl hiding from the Nazis in an attic, or Amnesty International writing letters on behalf of political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-gruwell/writing-is-powerful-whether-it-s-a-little-girl-hiding-from-the-nazis/) [Erin Gruwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-gruwell/) > [“Political prisoners describe: - extreme physical and emotional torture - distortion of language, truth, meaning and reality - sham killings - begin repeatedly taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/political-prisoners-describe-extreme-physical-and-emotional-torture/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [The U.S. government does not recognize the existence of political prisoners in our country. The identity of political prisoners is concealed and, consequently, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rosenberg/the-u-s-government-does-not-recognize-the-existence-of-political/) [Susan Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rosenberg/) ## More by David Remnick > [The internet is very democratizing in some ways, but it also has other effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-internet-is-very-democratizing-in-some-ways-but-it-also-has-other/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [We can hope that the responsibilities and realities will weigh on Donald Trump and he will not be the president we fear, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/we-can-hope-that-the-responsibilities-and-realities-will-weigh-on/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The future is itself a story, and predictions are stories we tell to amaze ourselves, to give hope to the desperate, to jolt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-future-is-itself-a-story-and-predictions-are-stories-we-tell-to/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Russian is such a tough and complex language that I am happy enough to understand everything and read most things pretty well, but, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/russian-is-such-a-tough-and-complex-language-that-i-am-happy-enough/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [You are losing because of Jewish bankers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-are-losing-because-of-jewish-bankers/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [“One cannot exclude the possibility of a fascist period in Russia,” Staravoitova said on the radio station Echo of Moscow. “We can see too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/one-cannot-exclude-the-possibility-of-a-fascist-period-in-russia/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I'm a civilian, a citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-m-a-civilian-a-citizen/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I'm a journalist - I'm not Robert Caro. I have a day job, and a pretty consuming one - a joyfully consuming one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-m-a-journalist-i-m-not-robert-caro-i-have-a-day-job-and-a-pretty/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [My time as editor has been overlapped by a crisis - a prolonged, labyrinthine, tragic, seemingly non-ending crisis - that involves the prehistory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/my-time-as-editor-has-been-overlapped-by-a-crisis-a-prolonged/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Democratic institutions, even in the oldest operating democracy in the world, are anything but perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/democratic-institutions-even-in-the-oldest-operating-democracy-in-the/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Donald Trump seems to think it is within his rights to trample the First Amendment, to disdain the press, to punish protesters or flag-burners,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/donald-trump-seems-to-think-it-is-within-his-rights-to-trample-the/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I understand the difference between journalism and scholarship that comes 20 years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-understand-the-difference-between-journalism-and-scholarship-that/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The Communist Party apparatus was the most gigantic mafia the world has ever known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-communist-party-apparatus-was-the-most-gigantic-mafia-the-world/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The only reason the word "brand" gets a little tiresome is that something that is complex and wonderful and deep begins to sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-only-reason-the-word-brand-gets-a-little-tiresome-is-that/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I got in journalism for any number of reasons, not least because it's so much fun. Journalism should be in the business of putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-got-in-journalism-for-any-number-of-reasons-not-least-because-it-s/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) [Explore all 111 David Remnick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) ## More Innocents quotes > [I was once so Innocent once so young once so stupid once so gullible once so care free It Truly Only Take's Once !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destinysmith/i-was-once-so-innocent-once-so-young-once-so-stupid-once-so-gullible/) [Destinysmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destinysmith/) > [There are no innocents in Gaza, don't let any diplomats who want to look good in the world endanger your lives - mow them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-ari/there-are-no-innocents-in-gaza-don-t-let-any-diplomats-who-want-to/) [Michael Ben-Ari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ben-ari/) > [“From the mouths of the innocents flows truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/from-the-mouths-of-the-innocents-flows-truth/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [No cause, no God, no abstract idea can justify the mass slaughter of innocents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/no-cause-no-god-no-abstract-idea-can-justify-the-mass-slaughter-of/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [A guilty system recognizes no innocents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/a-guilty-system-recognizes-no-innocents/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [“It's how the English run their courts. They sacrifice innocents, thinking to keep evil at bay, and call it a kind of justice. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kent/it-s-how-the-english-run-their-courts-they-sacrifice-innocents/) [Kathleen Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kent/) > [There are no innocents. There are, however, different degrees of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-no-innocents-there-are-however-different-degrees-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Brute force is not our salvation, especially as directed by State central planning and done with little regard for the innocents...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-gregory/brute-force-is-not-our-salvation-especially-as-directed-by-state/) [Anthony Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-gregory/) > [“Scourges assumed authority they had not been granted. They made a carefully reasoned decision to kill in greater numbers than were absolutely necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/scourges-assumed-authority-they-had-not-been-granted-they-made-a/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [We in Congress must take action to keep assault weapons and high-capacity clips out of the hands of those who are so dangerous or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregorio-sablan/we-in-congress-must-take-action-to-keep-assault-weapons-and-high/) [Gregorio Sablan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregorio-sablan/) > [If the system turns away from the abuses inflicted on the guilty, then who can be next but the innocents?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses-inflicted-on-the-guilty-then/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I believe that many of my young guys lived because I didn't waste their lives because I didn't have the vision in my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/i-believe-that-many-of-my-young-guys-lived-because-i-didn-t-waste/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [“There are no innocents in our world. We are born tainted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-karr/there-are-no-innocents-in-our-world-we-are-born-tainted/) [Autumn Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-karr/) > [“Never had we ever kissed as lovers; if we touched lips it was as brother and sister. In one moment of emotion, our lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/never-had-we-ever-kissed-as-lovers-if-we-touched-lips-it-was-as/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Madam, if I were Herod in the middle Of the massacre of the innocents, I'd pause Just to consider the confusion of your imagery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/madam-if-i-were-herod-in-the-middle-of-the-massacre-of-the-innocents/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) [Browse all 51 Innocents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not all political prisoners are innocents.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Remnick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocents/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Innocents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocents/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/david-remnick-4397_innocents_not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocent_1246821.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/david-remnick-4397_innocents_not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocent_1246821.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/david-remnick-4397_innocents_not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocent_1246821.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not all political prisoners are innocents.” — David Remnick", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Remnick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Not all political prisoners are innocents.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocents/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/not-all-political-prisoners-are-innocents/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```