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SECRECY OVER POLLUTION ENDANGERING PUBLIC HEALTH

The Russian government's unwillingness to properly inform citizens about pollution, food contamination and nuclear waste and radiation is endangering thousands of lives, a new report by ARTICLE 19 reveals.

"The Forbidden Zone: Access to Environmental Information in Russia" shows how Russian authorities have resorted to Soviet-style secrecy to deny access to information on environmental problems. The report finds that numerous people in Russia live in areas near nuclear factories that have high levels of radiation.

In the area surrounding the Mayak nuclear facility in the Urals, for example, there have been three major nuclear accidents, resulting in high rates of cancer, birth defects and lower life expectancy, says ARTICLE 19. Yet, the local authorities have denied the existence of significant health and environmental concerns, and refused to disclose relevant data.

According to statistics compiled by Russian scientist Alexei Yablokov, 300,000 people die on average every year in Russia due to environmental pollution.

Journalists and campaigners who have attempted to expose the risks to human health and the environment have been persecuted by authorities, notes ARTICLE 19. Scientists who try to expose the hazards posed by nuclear waste and radiation are labeled "spies" and imprisoned.

ARTICLE 19 launched its report at a press conference in London on 21 November 2006, which featured a panel of experts, including representatives from Greenpeace, Amnesty International and BBC World Service.

To read the report, visit: http://tinyurl.com/ygrqhh

Visit these links:
- ARTICLE 19: http://www.article19.org
- Europe's Radioactive Secret: http://tinyurl.com/vok2r
- Amnesty International: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/rus-161105-action-eng
- Bellona: http://www.bellona.org/subjects/Nuclear_Russia