13 July 2005
PUTIN URGED TO END IMPUNITY IN JOURNALISTS' MURDERS
The unsolved murders of twelve journalists in Russia since Vladmir Putin became president in 2000 have sown fear and self-censorship among independent media, says the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
The press freedom group sent a delegation to Moscow on 7 July 2005 to attend a conference that brought friends and colleagues of murdered journalists together with press freedom advocates and lawyers. Conference participants discussed the Russian government's failure to solve the murders of journalists, and discussed ways of working together to lobby for justice.
In a statement issued at the end of the conference, CPJ joined the families of the victims in urging Putin to "ensure that the Prosecutor-General's Office makes greater progress in solving these brutal murders."
"The lack of progress in investigating journalist murders undermines freedom and democracy in Russia, and demonstrates the lawlessness and impunity with which Russian and international media can be targeted," the statement read.
Since 2000, 12 journalists have been murdered in contract-style killings in Russia. No one has been brought to justice in any of the cases.
Read the statement here: http://www.cpj.org/news/2005/Russia08july05_statement.html
The International Press Institute (IPI) has placed Russia on its Watch List of countries where press freedom appears to be deteriorating. It says indirect censorship in the country is increasing and Putin's government has intensified its efforts to block coverage of non-official views.
The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) has also raised concern about impunity in Russia. In a May 2005 report, it said "the apparent unwillingness of authorities to investigate a number of murders of journalists as well as physical attacks on journalists further tarnishes the country?s already poor press freedom record."
Visit:
- Twelve Murders, No Justice: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2005/russia_murders/russia_murders.html
- IPI Russia Watch List: http://www.freemedia.at/r_wl_russia.htm
- WAN: http://www.wan-press.org/article7247.html
- Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations: http://www.cjes.ru/index-e.php
- Glasnost Defence Foundation: http://www.gdf.ru/digest/digest/digest235e.shtml
- PBS Wide Angle Documentary "The Russian Newspaper Murders": http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/russia/index.html
- Amnesty International Report on Russia: http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/rus-summary-eng
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