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Alert

News agency director killed in knife attack, IFJ calls for detailed probe

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is an IFJ media release:

IFJ Calls for Detailed Probe of Knife Attack after New Killing Shocks Russian Journalism

The International Federation of Journalists today called for a detailed and credible investigation into the killing of Anatoly Voronin, the business manager and deputy director of Russian news agency Itar-Tass.

Voronin was found in his apartment with multiple knife wounds and police are treating the incident as a case of premeditated murder. The case has further shocked a media community still stunned by the death just over a week ago of one of the country's leading investigative journalists.

"This was a shocking and deadly assault," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "It adds a new dimension to the dangerous and intimidating atmosphere that is overwhelming journalism in Russia."

White said that the killing of Voronin - a respected executive who had worked at the news agency for 23 years - underlined the crisis in Russian media which was exposed by the death of Anna Politkovskaya, who was gunned down outside her Moscow apartment on October 7.

"Once again the journalists of Russia are in mourning as another brutal assassination adds to the sense of danger and lawlessness infecting the community of journalism," he said. The IFJ says that this is the 14th killing of a journalist or media worker since President Vladimir Putin came to power.

Tass sources have said that Voronin was supposed to return to work on Monday from holiday and his driver waited 3 hours for him outside his block of flats in Moscow on Monday morning before alerting the police.

"We need to find who was responsible and make sure they are brought to justice," said White. "This will only be done if there is a detailed and credible investigation. We will support our colleagues in Russia in their efforts to make sure the authorities deliver justice in these cases."

The IFJ has more than 500,000 members in over 100 countries worldwide.