For a small CRT (or any CRT for that matter) you could be right.
It really depends on the path the current chooses and how many amps during discharge.
If it goes through your heart (which is why "one hand behind your back" practice exists) there is enough juice in some CRTs caps (especially in the often overlooked power supply) to stop it. For a small one maybe it's low enough charge to be nothing more than an annoyance.
Yes they are made to be serviced. But by trained service persons.
Of course not everyone agrees:
This guy says it's bunk, that they are perfectly harmless, and anybody can do it:
http://lowendmac.com/2007/the-truth-about-crts-and-shock-danger/In his experience he is probably right.
The comments here have accounts of people who claim to be fully trained on the dangers and precautions and some who have been actually been (or witnessed someone being) electrocuted:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/197/How+dangerous+is+working+on+a+CRT+displayThe way the "Accepted Answer" guy waxes poetic about the Earth's rotation and magnetic fields magically charging the caps I'd be inclined to discredit his entire post.
But I worked with a guy that got thrown back by a cap he touched by accident while fixing an (admittedly large) TV. After he woke up (hit his head on the floor hard and knocked himself out) he was fine with just a slight burn mark on his hand. But it pretty much ensured that when my CRTs died I'd be replacing them entirely.
In Soera's case repair might be more affordable and desirable since the specific replacement unit he'd need is may be impossible to find in the wild.
That said. I wouldn't repair it myself if it involved dealing with the internal circuits.
And I say that having gutted and rebuilt computers, Colecovisions, NESes, and various handhelds.
I was just saying to Soera what I say to all my friends thinking of tinkering with electronic/mechanical stuff. Make sure you know what it is before you touch it and be careful.
