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Articles - Russia

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Russia

Activist fined for speaking out in support of gay community

A Russian gay rights activist is believed to have become the first person to be punished under a municipal law for distributing "gay propaganda", report Index on Censorship and news reports.

Russia

Kremlin silenced critics before and during elections, say IFEX members

Journalists were among more than 500 arrested during Moscow protests after Vladimir Putin declared victory in Russia's presidential elections on Sunday, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and other IFEX members. Since the parliamentary elections in December, the authorities have used a range of tactics to harass and discredit their critics, say CPJ and Human Rights Watch.

Belarus / Russia

Man jailed for copycat "toy protest"

A man in Belarus was sentenced to 10 days in prison in February for staging a toy protest, echoing recent rallies using teddy bears to challenge Vladimir Putin in neighbouring Russia, reports Index on Censorship.

Russia

Free expression activist gunned down on Memorial Day for slain journalists

On 15 December - a day to commemorate assassinated journalists in Russia - a newspaper publisher and free expression activist was shot 14 times by a masked gunman, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF), the International Press Institute (IPI), Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and ARTICLE 19.

Africa / Mexico / Russia

Recent advancements in criminal defamation laws in Africa, Mexico offset by setbacks in Russia

IFEX members have noted some significant advancements in the criminal defamation field these past weeks: the President of Niger has become the first head of state to endorse the Declaration of Table Mountain, which calls for repeal of criminal defamation and insult laws in Africa, and Mexico's Senate has unanimously approved to decriminalise slander and libel. But although Russia recently amended its defamation legislation, critics say it did not go far enough.

Russia

Election marred by free expression violations

As Russians voted this week in parliamentary elections, censorship, coordinated cyber-attacks, and arrests of journalists and bloggers were carried out in an apparent bid to suppress allegations of electoral fraud and criticism of the ruling party, report the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) and the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), among other IFEX members.

Russia

Five years after Politkovskaya's assassination, impunity still reigns

With the five-year anniversary of the murder of investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya on 7 October, the recent arrest of the alleged gunmen and conspirator bring little hope to numerous IFEX members, including Russian members the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) and the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES).

Russia

Retired police officer charged in connection with Politkovskaya's murder

Five years after journalist Anna Politkovskaya was shot dead in the elevator of her apartment building, retired police officer Lt. Col. Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov has been charged for spearheading the criminal group that carried out her murder, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Convicted criminal Lom-Ali Gaitukayev was also named for organising the slaying.

Russia

Convictions of ultra-nationalists for murdering lawyer and journalist a victory for justice, say IFEX members

Two ultra-nationalists have been convicted and sentenced to long prison terms for the January 2009 double murder of human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov and "Novaya Gazeta" trainee reporter Anastasia Baburova - a landmark victory against impunity in Russia, say the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF), the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES) and other IFEX members.

Russia

Journalists assaulted, convicted after covering controversial highway projects

Khimki Forest, which covers 1,000 hectares of land near Moscow, is home to foxes, elks, wild boars and a number of insect and plant species that are considered endangered. So when local authorities started building a new $8 billion dollar high-speed road to go through the forest to connect Moscow and Saint Petersburg, it didn't sit well with the local community. A journalist who covered the project was brutally assaulted earlier this month, while another was convicted for defaming the mayor who ordered the highway, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), the Glasnost Defense Foundation (GDF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), PEN International's Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) and other IFEX members.

Russia

Investigations reopened into journalists' murders thanks to CPJ

Top authorities at the Kremlin have vowed to pursue 19 cases of unsolved, work-related murdered journalists following an appeal by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Last week officials at the Investigative Committee in Moscow, who are directly responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Russia, met with a visiting delegation from CPJ and pledged to aggressively look into the murder cases, including at least five that had been previously closed or suspended.

Russia

Journalists routinely slain in deadliest region

Dagestan has become the most dangerous place in Russia for journalists, reports the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF). In May 2010, the director of two radio stations was shot and killed. A few days later, the director of a television station was killed. This month, the editor-in-chief of another television station was shot to death.

Russia

More media workers killed in Dagestan

A director of a local television station in Dagestan who was on his way to repair television equipment was shot dead on 13 May, reports the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF). TBS director Sayid Ibragimov was ambushed by gunmen as he was travelling with a team of repairmen on their way to restore a TV re-transmitter damaged by militants a day earlier. Ibragimov's car and an accompanying police jeep were attacked near the village of Ayazi. Gunmen set off a bomb in front of the vehicles and then opened fire on them, killing five men and wounding four others.

Russia

Journalist dies after being savagely assaulted by police

A Russian journalist was recently beaten to death in police custody, reports the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Russia / Awards

WPFC award honours President of Glasnost Defense Foundation

The World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC) honoured Alexei Simonov, President of the Glasnost Defense Foundation (GDF), with its 2009 Dana Bullen Press Freedom Advocacy Award on 4 December.

Russia

Broadcast journalist killed

A Russian journalist allegedly committed suicide by falling out of a 14th-floor window to her death on 16 November in Kaliningrad. But outraged opposition critics and colleagues believe she was murdered, report the Centre for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CEJES) and the International Press Institute (IPI).

Russia

Rights activist murdered in Ingushetia

A human rights activist from Ingushetia, a republic in Russia, was killed on 25 October when his car came under attack from another vehicle, reports ARTICLE 19.

Russia

No understanding of press freedom, says IPI

On a five-day advocacy mission to Russia last week, the International Press Institute (IPI) investigated the murder of journalists, impunity of killers and self-censorship of the press that continues.

Russia / Chechnya (Russia)

Murders in south suggest systemic rights violations

The bullet-riddled bodies of a Chechen activist and her husband were found in the trunk of their car in Grozny last week, a day after they were kidnapped. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Dagestan, a well-known investigative journalist was killed. IFEX members ARTICLE 19, Human Rights Watch and others say that the violence is a sign that in Russia today, especially in Chechnya, independent voices continue to be ruthlessly silenced.

Russia

Editor succumbs to head injuries

A leading editor who reported on corruption in southwestern Russia succumbed to head injuries he suffered in an attack in April, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Russia

More than 300 journalists killed in Russia since 1993, says joint report

The murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October 2006 shocked the world. "Yet for every Anna, there have been many less widely known journalists killed for their work across Russia," says the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a groundbreaking report on the 313 Russian journalists killed since 1993.

Russia

PERIODISTAS Y DEFENSORES DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS ATACADOS

Russia

LES JOURNALISTES ET LES DÉFENSEURS DES DROITS SONT EN BUTTE AUX ATTAQUES

Russia

JOURNALISTS, RIGHTS DEFENDERS UNDER ATTACK

The Russian authorities should investigate the recent string of violent attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, IFEX members say.

Russia

LE JURY ACQUITTE LES SUSPECTS AU PROCÈS POUR LE MEURTRE DE POLITKOVSKAÏA

Russia

RUSIA JURADO ABSUELVE A SOSPECHOSOS EN JUICIO POR ASESINATO DE POLITKOVSKAYA

Russia

JURY ACQUITS SUSPECTS IN POLITKOVSKAYA MURDER TRIAL

A Moscow jury last week acquitted all three men charged in the killing of journalist and Kremlin critic Anna Politkovskaya, exposing Russia's inability to find and prosecute the perpetrators behind one of Russia's most infamous assassinations, say IFEX members.

Russia

FAITES PARVENIR UN MESSAGE DE CONDOLÉANCES POUR LE JOURNALISTE RUSSE ET L'AVOCAT DÉFENSEUR DES DROITS DE LA PERSONNE

Russia

ENVÍE MENSAJE DE CONDOLENCIA POR PERIODISTA Y ABOGADO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS RUSOS

Russia

SEND CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FOR RUSSIAN JOURNALIST AND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER

Last month, renowned human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov who was associated with the investigative newspaper "Novaya Gazeta", and Anastasia Baburova, a reporter for the paper, were assassinated in broad daylight by a lone gunman a few blocks from the Kremlin. International PEN's Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) is asking you to send condolence messages to the editor of "Novaya Gazeta" and take other action to protest their murders.

Russia

UN DOUBLE MEURTRE BRAQUE LES PROJECTEURS SUR LA « CULTURE DE L'IMPUNITÉ »

Russia

DOBLE ASESINATO SUBRAYA "CULTURA DE LA IMPUNIDAD"

Russia

DOUBLE MURDER HIGHLIGHTS "CULTURE OF IMPUNITY"

A double murder in Russia this week of a lawyer and journalist highlights Russia's ongoing culture of impunity, said ARTICLE 19, Index on Censorship and English PEN in a joint statement and echoed by other IFEX members.

Russia

PROPIETARIO DE SITIO WEB INGUSHETIYA.RU MUERE BALEADO EN CUSTODIA POLICIACA; MÁS PERIODISTAS AGREDIDOS EN EL CÁUCASO

Russia

LE PROPRIÉTAIRE D'UN SITE WEB INGOUCHE EST ABATTU PENDANT QU'IL ÉTAIT EN GARDE À VUE; D'AUTRES JOURNALISTES SONT ATTAQUÉS DANS LE CAUCASE

Russia

OWNER OF INGUSHETIA WEBSITE SHOT DEAD IN POLICE CUSTODY; MORE JOURNALISTS ATTACKED IN CAUCASUS

An opposition news website owner in Russia's conflict-ridden Ingushetia region was fatally shot on 31 August soon after being detained by police, report Glasnost Defense Foundation (GDF), ARTICLE 19 and other IFEX members.

Russia

FOUR JOURNALISTS KILLED, OTHERS INJURED IN SOUTH OSSETIA CONFLICT

Four journalists were among hundreds killed in fighting between Russia and Georgia that began on 8 August 2008. Meanwhile a fierce cyber-war between the two countries resulted in blocked websites and television stations.

Russia

MEDVEDEV DONNE DES SIGNES D'APPUI À LA LIBERTÉ DES MÉDIAS

Russia

MEDVÉDEV MUESTRA SIGNOS DE APOYO PARA LA LIBERTAD DE MEDIOS

Russia

MEDVEDEV SHOWS SIGNS OF SUPPORT FOR MEDIA FREEDOM

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called on parliament to scrap a bill that would have given the authorities the power to close down media outlets suspected of libel, a move welcomed with cautious optimism by the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) and other IFEX members.

Russia

DOS PERIODISTAS DE DAGESTÁN ASESINADOS EN ATAQUES SEPARADOS

Russia

DEUX JOURNALISTES DU DAGESTAN TUÉS DANS DES ATTENTATS SÉPARÉS

Russia

TWO DAGESTANI JOURNALISTS KILLED IN SEPARATE ATTACKS

Two journalists who covered the volatile North Caucasus were brutally murdered in Russia, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), along with other IFEX members and news reports.

Russia

DIEZ PERIODISTAS ARRESTADOS POR CUBRIR MANIFESTACIÓN

Russia

DIX JOURNALISTES ARRÊTÉS POUR AVOIR COUVERT UNE MANIFESTATION

Russia

TEN JOURNALISTS ARRESTED FOR COVERING PROTEST

Ten journalists were arrested on Saturday for covering a protest that turned violent in Nazran, the capital of the southwestern Russian republic of Ingushetia, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Russia

DEFENSORES DE LA LIBRE EXPRESIÓN CONMEMORAN PRIMER ANIVERSARIO DE ASESINATO DE POLITKOVSKAYA

Russia

LES DÉFENSEURS DE LA LIBRE EXPRESSION SOULIGNENT LE PREMIER ANNIVERSAIRE DE L'ASSASSINAT D'ANNA POLITKOVSKAÏA

Russia

FREE EXPRESSION ADVOCATES MARK FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF POLITKOVSKAYA'S MURDER

Free expression advocates in Russia and around the world held tributes and protests on 7 October to mark the first anniversary of the brutal slaying of crusading journalist Anna Politkovskaya, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontieres, RSF) and news reports.

Russia

RUSIA Y HAITÍ INTENSIFICAN LUCHA CONTRA IMPUNIDAD AL CONDENAR A ASESINOS DE PERIODISTAS

Russia

SOSPECHOSOS DEL ASESINATO DE POLITKOVSKAYA ARRESTADOS; "SE NECESITAN MÁS ACCIONES"

Russia

ARRESTATION DE SUSPECTS EN RAPPORT AVEC LE MEURTRE DE POLITKOVSKAÏA; « IL FAUT DAVANTAGE D'ACTION »

Russia

SUSPECTS IN POLITKOVSKAYA MURDER ARRESTED; "MORE ACTION NEEDED"

Ten people, including government officials, have been arrested in connection with Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya's murder, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF). But the press groups say there is a long way to go before "justice will be delivered."

Russia

POUTINE RATIFIE DES MESURES DRACONIENNES POUR LUTTER CONTRE L'EXTRÉMISME

Russia

PUTIN APRUEBA MEDIDAS ANTIEXTREMISMO DRACONIANAS

Russia

PUTIN SIGNS IN DRACONIAN ANTI-EXTREMISM MEASURES

Russian President Vladimir Putin has hastily passed into law legislation to combat "extremism" the effect of which will be to muzzle critical voices, several IFEX members say.

Russia

LES JOURNALISTES SE JOIGNENT AU COMBAT POUR DÉFENDRE LEURS COLLÈGUES RUSSES

Russia

AGISSEZ ! SAUVEZ L'EDUCATED MEDIA FOUNDATION DE RUSSIE

Russia

PERIODISTAS SE UNEN A LUCHA PARA DEFENDER A COLEGAS RUSOS

Russia

¡ACTÚE! SALVE A LA FUNDACIÓN DE MEDIOS EDUCADOS RUSA

Russia

JOURNALISTS JOIN FIGHT TO DEFEND RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES

Journalists from all over the world who gathered in Russia last week expressed outrage at the killings of their Russian colleagues and at recent government attempts to evict the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) from their Moscow headquarters, reports the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Russia

TAKE ACTION! SAVE RUSSIA'S EDUCATED MEDIA FOUNDATION

Media professionals, unite! Sign a solidarity letter to support a popular independent Russian media organisation that has been forced to shut down.

Russia

UE ES TESTIGO DE "CAMPAÑA DE ACOSO" CONTRA DISIDENTES

Russia

L'UE EST TÉMOIN D'UNE « CAMPAGNE DE HARCÈLEMENT » CONTRE LES DISSIDENTS

Russia

EU WITNESSES "CAMPAIGN OF HARASSMENT" AGAINST DISSIDENTS

The European Union (EU) glimpsed first hand President Vladimir Putin's human rights crisis at an EU-Russia summit last week in the south of Russia when anti-Kremlin protesters were prevented from attending a rally near the summit site. IFEX members have been reporting for some time on Russia's crackdown on dissent, especially around the roaming "Marches of Dissent" across the nation.

Russia

ENCUENTRAN MUERTO A CAMARÓGRAFO; SUPRIMEN PROTESTAS

Russia

UN CAMÉRAMAN EST TROUVÉ MORT; LES PROTESTATIONS SONT RÉPRIMÉES

Russia

CAMERAMAN FOUND DEAD; PROTESTS SUPPRESSED

Local journalists and family members believe that a cameraman found dead on 5 April was murdered, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), who are calling for a full investigation.

Russia

MIEMBROS DE IFEX EXIGEN JUSTICIA EN CASO DE ASESINATO DE POLITKOVSKAYA

Russia

DES MEMBRES DE L'IFEX EXIGENT QUE LA JUSTICE SOIT RENDUE À LA SUITE DU MEURTRE DE POLITKOVSKAÏA

Russia

IFEX MEMBERS DEMAND JUSTICE IN POLITKOVSKAYA MURDER

Eleven IFEX member organisations, led by the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), have called on the Russian government to bring to justice those responsible for the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya. In a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the free expression groups said resolving the crime is "vital to enable journalists, who are experiencing persecution, to feel safe."

Russia

LE SECRET ENTOURE LES AFFAIRES DE POLLUTION QUI METTENT EN DANGER LA SANTÉ PUBLIQUE

Russia

SIGILO SOBRE CONTAMINACIÓN PONE EN RIESGO SALUD PÚBLICA

Russia

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.

Russia

¡ACTÚE! RUSIA: PETICIÓN DE RSF PIDE INVESTIGACIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE ASESINATO DE POLITKOVSKAYA

Russia

TAKE ACTION! RUSSIA: RSF PETITION CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL INQUIRY INTO POLITKOVSKAYA MURDER

17 October 2006

Russia

L'ASSASSINAT D'UNE JOURNALISTE COURAGEUSE SOULÈVE L'INDIGNATION À TRAVERS LE MONDE

Russia

LIBRE EXPRESIÓN ARTÍSTICA AMENAZADA POR INTOLERANCIA RELIGIOSA

Russia

L'EXPRESSION ARTISTIQUE MENACÉE PAR L'INTOLÉRANCE RELIGIEUSE

Russia

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION UNDER THREAT FROM RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

Artistic expression in Russia is becoming increasingly restricted, fueled by rising nationalism, the increasing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church on national politics and the virtual absence of a free media, warns ARTICLE 19.

Russia

REPORTERO ESTRANGULADO Y MUERTO

Russia

REPORTER TROUVÉ ÉTRANGLÉ

Russia

REPORTER STRANGLED TO DEATH

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000, at least 12 journalists have been murdered in contract-style killings, and none of the cases have been solved, say the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

Russia

LEY SOBRE EXTREMISMO AMENAZA LIBERTAD DE PALABRA; PERIODISTAS ARRESTADOS EN CUMBRE DE G-8

Russia

UNE LOI SUR L'« EXTRÉMISME » MENACE LA LIBERTÉ DE PAROLE; DES JOURNALISTES SONT ARRÊTÉS AU SOMMET DU G-8

Russia

EXTREMISM LAW THREATENS FREE SPEECH; JOURNALISTS ARRESTED AT G-8 SUMMIT

As Russia prepared to host the G-8 summit of leading industrialised democracies from 15-17 July, its upper house of Parliament approved a bill broadening the definition of "extremism" to include media criticism of state officials, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Concerns about the bill's impact on freedom of expression have also been raised by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), ARTICLE 19, and the International Press Institute (IPI).

Russia

RUSIA CJES INSTA A REFORMA DE LEYES DE DIFAMACIÓN

Russia

RUSSIE :LE CJES DEMANDE AVEC INSTANCE UNE RÉFORME DE LA LOI SUR LA DIFFAMATION

Russia

RUSSIA: CJES URGES DEFAMATION LAW REFORM

The Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES) invites free expression advocates to sign an online petition urging the Russian government to abolish laws that criminalise defamation.

Russia

UN JOURNALISTE EST ASSASSINÉ

Russia

PERIODISTA ASESINADO

Russia

JOURNALIST MURDERED

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Russian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of Ilya Zimin, a 33-year-old correspondent for the national television station NTV, who was murdered in his Moscow apartment on 26 February 2006.

Russia

PROTESTATIONS INTERNATIONALES AU SUJET D'UNE PROPOSITION DE LOI SUR LES ONG

Russia

INDIGNACIÓN INTERNACIONAL POR PROYECTO DE LEY DE ONG

Russia

INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY OVER PROPOSED NGO LAW

In Russia, where the media has come under increasing state influence since President Vladimir Putin took office in 2000, non-governmental organisations are some of the only remaining independent voices that can criticise the government.

Russia

LE KREMLIN ÉTOUFFE LA COUVERTURE CRITIQUE DE LA SITUATION EN TCHÉTCHÉNIE

Russia

KREMLIN AMORDAZA COBERTURA CRÍTICA DE CHECHENIA

Russia

CAMARÓGRAFO ASESINADO

Russia

UN CAMÉRAMAN PERD LA VIE

Russia

CAMERAMAN KILLED

For journalists in Russia, there is often a high price to be paid for those who report on illegal activities. Sometimes, it can mean death. On 21 May 2005, the body of Pavel Makeev was found by a road outside the town of Azov in the southern region of Rostov, reported the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Russia

POUTINE EST PRIÉ DE FAIRE CESSER L'IMPUNITÉ QUI ENTOURE LES MEURTRES DE JOURNALISTES

Russia

INSTAN A PUTIN A TERMINAR CON IMPUNIDAD EN ASESINATOS DE PERIODISTAS

Russia

UN JOURNALISTE EST TUÉ AU DAGESTAN

Russia

PERIODISTA ASESINADO EN DAGESTÁN

Russia

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).

Russia

JOURNALIST KILLED IN DAGESTAN

A prominent journalist and political analyst known for criticising the political opposition in Dagestan, Russia, was murdered on 28 June 2005 - the victim of a contract-style killing, reported the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Russia

LES NATIONS UNIES REGARDENT AILLEURS PENDANT QUE LA CRISE EN TCHÉTCHÉNIE SE POURSUIT

Russia

ONU SE HACE DE LA VISTA GORDA MIENTRAS CONTINÚA CRISIS EN CHECHENIA

Russia

UN LOOKS THE OTHER WAY AS CHECHNYA CRISIS CONTINUES

As the UN Commission on Human Rights continues its annual session in Geneva, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) are sounding the alarm on Chechnya, where widespread violations make it the single largest human rights crisis in Europe.

Russia

LES MÉDIAS NE SONT PAS LIBRES, DIT UN JOURNALISTE

Russia

MEDIOS SIN LIBERTAD, DICEN PERIODISTAS

Russia

MEDIA NOT FREE, SAYS JOURNALIST

More than a decade after the introduction of democracy in Russia, the media is far from free, says journalist Grigory Pasko.

Russia

L'AMJ TIENDRA SON CONGRÈS DE 2006 À MOSCOU

Russia

WAN CELEBRARÁ CONGRESO 2006 EN MOSCÚ

Russia

WAN TO HOLD 2006 CONGRESS IN MOSCOW

The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) aims to focus international media attention on press freedom in Russia when it holds its 2006 congress in Moscow, saying it will be an opportunity to gauge the state of democracy a decade after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Russia

Le Kremlin étouffe la couverture des violations des droits en Tchétchénie, dit Amnistie Internationale

Russia

Kremlin silencia informe sobre abusos en Chechenia: Amnistía Internacional

Russia

CONFÉRENCE DE LA FAIFE/IFLA POUR EXAMINER LA CENSURE EN RUSSIE

Russia

FAIFE/IFLA EXAMINARÁN CENSURA EN RUSIA

Russia

FAIFE/IFLA TO EXAMINE CENSORSHIP IN RUSSIA

Censorship in Russia, and the role of libraries and journalists in promoting access to information, will be the subjects of a conference in March 2005 sponsored by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

Russia

UN RAPPORT DE L'OSCE CRITIQUE LE TRAITEMENT PAR LA RUSSIE DE LA TRAGÉDIE DE BESLAN

Russia

INFORME DE OSCE CRITICA MANEJO DE RUSIA DE TRAGEDIA DE BESLAN

Russia

OSCE CRITICISES RUSSIA'S HANDLING OF BESLAN TRAGEDY

The Russian government has come under criticism from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) press freedom watchdog for failing to "provide truthful information" in a timely manner to news media and the public during the Beslan hostage crisis.

Russia

IMPIDEN A PERIODISTAS CUBRIR TRAGEDIA DE BESLAN

Russia

ON EMPÊCHE DES JOURNALISTES DE COUVRIR LA TRAGÉDIE DE BESLAN

Russia

JOURNALISTS PREVENTED FROM COVERING BESLAN TRAGEDY

In the aftermath of the Beslan hostage crisis in Ossetia, Russia, IFEX members are raising concerns over several incidents in which journalists were prevented from reporting the tragedy. One included a well-known reporter who was poisoned under suspicious circumstances.

Russia

LE CPJ APPELLE DE SES VŒUX LA COOPÉRATION ENTRE LES ÉTATS-UNIS ET LA RUSSIE POUR METTRE FIN À L'IMPUNITÉ

Russia

CPJ HACE LLAMADO A COOPERACIÓN RUSO-ESTADOUNIDENSE PARA PONER FIN A IMPUNIDAD

Russia

CPJ URGES U.S.-RUSSIAN CO-OPERATION TO END IMPUNITY

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is stepping up efforts to challenge impunity in Russia, urging the U.S. and Russian governments to work together to investigate and prosecute the killers of "Forbes" magazine editor Paul Klebnikov and 14 other journalists killed since 2000.

Russia

UN DEUXIÈME JOURNALISTE ASSASSINÉ EN UNE SEMAINE

Russia

SEGUNDO PERIODISTA ASESINADO EN UNA SEMANA

Russia

SECOND JOURNALIST KILLED IN A WEEK

Barely a week after Russian-American journalist Paul Klebnikov was murdered in Moscow, another journalist in the Russian capital has been found dead. The body of Payl Pelovan was discovered on 17 July 2004 bearing knife wounds, reports the International Press Institute (IPI).

Russia

L'ÉDITEUR DE FORBES EST ASSASSINÉ

Russia

EDITOR DE FORBES ASESINADO

Russia

FORBES EDITOR MURDERED

A chilling message has been sent to journalists in Russia following the murder of Paul Klebnikov, the editor of the Russian edition of "Forbes Magazine" who was shot and killed in Moscow on 9 July 2004.

Russia

ARTICLE 19 LANCE UN GUIDE SUR LA LOI RELATIVE À LA DIFFAMATION EN RUSSIE

Russia

ARTICLE 19 PUBLICA GUÍA DE LEYES DE DIFAMACIÓN EN RUSIA

Russia

ARTICLE 19 LAUNCHES GUIDE TO DEFAMATION LAW IN RUSSIA

In Russia, where 60 per cent of all defamation lawsuits are launched by State officials and the majority of defendants are journalists, free-expression advocates face a tough battle.

Russia

CAMARÓGRAFO DE REUTERS ASESINADO

Russia

UN CAMÉRAMAN DE REUTERS PERD LA VIE

Russia

REUTERS CAMERAMAN KILLED

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is mourning the death of Reuters cameraman Adlan Khasanov, who was killed by a bomb attack on 10 May 2004 in the Chechen capital of Grozny.

Russia

PERIODISTAS HACEN LLAMADO POR LIBERACIÓN DE REPORTERO SECUESTRADO

Russia

DES JOURNALISTES LANCENT UN APPEL POUR FAIRE LIBÉRER UN REPORTER ENLEVÉ

Russia

JOURNALISTS APPEAL FOR KIDNAPPED REPORTER'S RELEASE

Ten Agence-France Presse (AFP) journalists, themselves former hostages in Lebanon, Philippines and Colombia, have petitioned Russian president Vladimir Putin for the release of their colleague Ali Astamirov, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) has learned.

Russia

LE RÉDACTEUR EN CHEF D'UN JOURNAL EST ASSASSINÉ

Russia

EDITOR DE PERIÓDICO ASESINADO

Russia

NEWSPAPER EDITOR ASSASSINATED

"Tolyatinskoye Obozreniye" (Togliatti Review), the largest circulation daily in Togliatti, Russia, lost its second editor-in-chief in 18 months to homicide last week, following the assassination of Aleksei Sidorov on 9 October, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI).

Russia

LES MEMBRES DE L'IFEX DÉNONCENT L'« AGRESSION » CONTRE LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE

Russia

MIEMBROS DE IFEX DEPLORAN "ATAQUE" A LIBERTAD DE PRENSA

Russia

IFEX MEMBERS DECRY "ASSAULT" ON PRESS FREEDOM

As Russia looks ahead to parliamentary elections in December, Freedom House and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) are drawing attention to press-freedom conditions in the country, warning that President Putin's "alarming assault" on the country's independent press is jeopardising Russia's future stability and prosperity.

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TV STATION OWNER MURDERED

Dmitri Shvets, co-owner and deputy managing director of an independent television station in Murmansk, northwest Russia, was shot and killed outside his offices by an unknown assailant on 18 April, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

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RATIFIENT UN ENGAGEMENT DE RESTREINDRE LA COUVERTURE DES ATTENTATS TERRORISTES

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MEDIOS FIRMAN PROMESA DE RESTRINGIR COBERTURA DE TERRORISMO

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MEDIA SIGN PLEDGE TO RESTRICT TERRORISM COVERAGE

In a sign that the Russian media's ability to report on terrorism could be weakened further, the directors of several leading national broadcasters have signed a voluntary agreement to restrict coverage of terrorism, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

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RUSSIAN JOURNALIST WINS OSCE JOURNALISM PRIZE

Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya has been awarded the 2003 OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy in recognition of her courageous and professional reporting on human rights abuses in Chechnya, reports IJNet (

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GRIGORY PASKO EST REMIS EN LIBERTÉ

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LIBERAN A GRIGORY PASKO

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GRIGORY PASKO RELEASED

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN (WiPC) have welcomed the release of jailed Russian journalist Grigory Pasko, who was granted parole on 23 January. The journalist has served two-thirds of his four-year sentence and was granted parole for 16 months. State prosecutors are considering appealing his release, notes WiPC.

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POUTINE OPPOSE SON VETO À LA LÉGISLATION ANTITERRORISTE

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PUTIN VETA LA LEGISLACIÓN ANTITERRORISMO

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PUTIN VETOES ANTI-TERRORISM LEGISLATION

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vetoed amendments to two laws that, if signed, would have posed a "grave danger" to press freedom in the country, report the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

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UNE NOUVELLE LOI ANTITERRORISTE RESSERRE L?ÉTAU SUR LES MÉDIAS

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NUEVA LEY ANTITERRORISMO ESTRECHA CONTROL SOBRE MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN

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NEW ANTI-TERRORISM LAW TIGHTENS GRIP ON MEDIA

Amidst the fallout from last week's hostage crisis in Moscow, which killed 117 people, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) are calling attention to growing restrictions on Russian media, including a new law restricting the media from reporting on anti-terrorist operations and publishing statements by terrorist groups.

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VAGUE D?AGRESSIONS CONTRE LA PRESSE

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OLA DE ATAQUES CONTRA LA PRENSA

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WAVE OF ATTACKS TARGET THE PRESS

An "unprecedented" wave of attacks on journalists in Russia's southern city of Penza has left one publishing house employee dead, another abducted and at least eight journalists attacked and threatened in the last six weeks, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

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LA GDF PARTICIPE À UNE VÉRIFICATION DES MÉDIAS RÉGIONAUX

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FDG TOMA PARTE EN AUDITORÍA REGIONAL A MEDIOS

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GDF TAKES PART IN REGIONAL MEDIA AUDIT

The Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) is teaming up with three other Russian organisations to conduct a one-year audit of regional media aimed at strengthening their independence and financial viability, reports Radio Free Europe's "Media Matters." Launched in August with support from the Open Society Institute, the project enables the organisations to provide advice to media outlets to ensure that their activities conform to Russia's existing laws.

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LA COUR SUPRÊME CONFIRME LA CONDAMNATION DE GRIGORI PASKO

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SUPREMA CORTE CONFIRMA CONDENA DE GRIGORY PASKO

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SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS GRIGORY PASKO'S CONVICTION

Russia's Supreme Court today rejected an appeal by journalist Grigory Pasko to overturn a previous ruling convicting him to four years in prison, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF). The military division of the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling on 25 December 2001 convicting Pasko of "high treason" on the grounds that he planned to leak state secrets to Japanese media about the Russian navy's dumping of nuclear waste in the Sea of Japan.

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PROPIETARIO DE PERIÓDICO ASESINADO

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ASSASSINAT DU PROPRIÉTAIRE D?UN JOURNAL

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NEWSPAPER OWNER MURDERED

Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) is calling for an investigation into the murder of newspaper owner Alexander Plotnikov, shot and killed on 20 May. He was co-owner of "Gostini dvor," a regional newspaper based in Tumen, Siberia. Investigators suspect he was killed by hired assassins.

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EDITOR DE PERIÓDICO ASESINADO

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NEWSPAPER EDITOR KILLED

Police officials in the southern Russian city of Togliatti have opened a criminal investigation into the murder of newspaper editor Valery Ivanov, shot dead outside his home the evening of 30 April, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Ivanov, editor of "Tolyatinskoye Obozreniye," was shot eight times at point-blank range as he was entering his car. Colleagues say his murder is connected to the reporting he has done on local organised crime, official corruption and drug trafficking. Ivanov was also a deputy in the local Legislative Assembly.

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UN QUOTIDIEN INDÉPENDANT DOIT RÉPONDRE À DES ACCUSATIONS DE DIFFAMATION

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REPORTEROS ASESINADOS; DIARIO INDEPENDIENTE SE ENFRENTA A CARGOS DE DIFAMACIÓN

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REPORTERS MURDERED; INDEPENDENT DAILY FACES LIBEL CHARGES

Amidst ongoing concerns about free expression violations in Russia, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) called attention to the deaths of two journalists this week and the launching of a lawsuit against the editor of an independent newspaper.

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PERIODISTA ASESINADA; OTRO PERIODISTA ESCAPA A INTENTO DE ASESINATO

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UNE JOURNALISTE EST TUÉE; UN AUTRE ÉCHAPPE À UNE TENTATIVE D?ASSASSINAT

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JOURNALIST KILLED; ANOTHER ESCAPES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Natalia Skryl, a business reporter for "Nashe Vremia", was killed on the night of 8 March near her home in Rostov-sur-le-Don, southwestern Russia. Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) says Skryl was discovered unconscious with head injuries and taken to a hospital. She died shortly after arrival. The editor-in-chief of "Nashe Vremia", Vera Ioujanskaïa, believes that the murder is connected to Skryl's investigations into the business activities of several large companies in the region, says RSF. An investigation into her murder has been opened.

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GRIGORY PASKO FAIT UN PAS DE PLUS VERS LA LIBERTÉ

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GRIGORY PASKO ESTÁ UN PASO MÁS CERCA DE LA LIBERTAD

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GRIGORY PASKO ONE STEP CLOSER TO FREEDOM

Jailed Russian journalist Grigory Pasko, convicted of allegedly leaking information about the Russian navy's dumping of nuclear waste in the Sea of Japan, could be set free as early as next week if two recent rulings by the Russian Supreme Court go unchallenged, report the Committee to Protect Journalists, Index on Censorship (INDEX), Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF). Last week, the Supreme Court's Military Collegium struck down two decrees which the ministry of defence had used to convict Pasko last year.

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: UNE STATION DE TÉLÉVISION INDÉPENDANTE PERD DEVANT LES TRIBUNAUX

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ESTACIÓN DE TV INDEPENDIENTE PIERDE PLEITO JUDICIAL

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INDEPENDENT TV STATION LOSES COURT CASE

Russia's highest appeals court has ordered the country's only independent, nationwide television channel, TV-6, to close down, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). On 11 January, the Presidium of the Highest Arbitration Court upheld a lower court ruling ordering the television channel's parent, Moscow Independent Broadcasting Company (MNVK), to be declared bankrupt. In September 2001, a pension fund of LUKoil-Garant, a minority shareholder of TV-6, launched a suit to liquidate the television channel, claiming that the station had not posted a profit in two years. LUKoil-Garant is owned by LUKoil Corporation, a company with close ties to the Kremlin, says CPJ.

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ESTACIÓN DE TV INDEPENDIENTE SE ENFRENTA A FUTURO SOMBRÍO

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DE BIEN SOMBRES PERSPECTIVES POUR UNE STATION DE TÉLÉVISION INDÉPENDANTE

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INDEPENDENT TV STATION FACES BLEAK FUTURE

Russia's last independent, nation-wide television station, TV-6, could fold in six months, following a recent appeal court's decision ordering the station to declare bankruptcy, report the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF), the Committee to Protect Journalists and the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC).

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ASSASSINAT DE L?ÉDITEUR D?UN JOURNAL

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DIRECTOR DE PERIÓDICO ASESINADO

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NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER MURDERED

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that Eduard Markevich, editor and publisher of "Novyy Reft", in the town of Reftinskey, Sverdlovsk Region of Russia, was found dead the night of 18 September. The paper was often critical of local officials. The journalist's colleagues told the Itar-Tass news service that he received threatening telephone phone calls prior to the attack. Police have launched an investigation into his death. "The murder of Eduard Markevich highlights, yet again, the vulnerability of independent journalists working in Russia's provinces," says CPJ. "We call on the local and federal authorities to investigate this case aggressively."

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DICE IPI; JUICIO PRÓXIMO SERÁ CASO DE PRUEBA DE LIBERTAD DE PRENSA

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DE L?ANNÉE ÉCOULÉE, DIT L?IIP; UN PROCÈS QUI SE TRANSFORMERA EN UNE CAUSE TYPE

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LITTLE PROGRESS IN LAST YEAR, SAYS IPI; UPCOMING TRIAL A PRESS FREEDOM TEST CASE

One year after the International Press Institute (IPI) added Russia to its "Watch List," the organisation sees little sign of improvement in press conditions. "Indeed, it would appear that recent developments have further eroded the level of press freedom achieved by Russia since the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991," says IPI.

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BABITSKY EST CONDAMNÉ POUR UN REPORTAGE CRITIQUE, PUIS AMNISTIÉ

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BABITSKY CONDENADO POR INFORME CRÍTICO, LUEGO SE LE CONCEDE AMNISTÍA

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BABITSKY CONVICTED FOR CRITICAL REPORTING, THEN AMNESTIED

Journalist Andrei Babitsky was convicted on 6 October by a court in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan of using false documents, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The court sentenced him to pay a fine of 13,200 rubles (about US$475), but the fine was waived and the charges were immediately dropped under an amnesty program passed earlier this year by the Russian Duma. According to CPJ, Babitsky, a reporter for the U.S. government-funded Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe, had angered Russian military authorities with his critical reporting on the war in Chechnya. On 27 January, Babitsky was arrested in Chechnya for "participating in an armed formation", a charge which was later dropped. In February, he was arrested again on the charge of possessing a false Azeri passport, which Babitsky claimed had been forced on him.

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REPORTERO DE RFE/RL ASESINADO, OTRAS NOTICIAS

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UN REPORTER DE RFE/RL EST ASSASSINÉ; AUTRES NOUVELLES

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RFE/RL REPORTER MURDERED, OTHER NEWS

On 21 September, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reporter Iskandr Khatloni died in hospital after being struck with an axe in his Moscow apartment by an unknown assailant, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI). Khatloni, who had worked for RFE/RL since 1996, was allegedly working on “stories about the Russian military's human-rights abuses in Chechnya” at the time of his death. Earlier this year, the Russian Media Ministry also stated that RFE/RL is "hostile to our state." This murder occurs amidst a worsening climate of media repression in Russia. On 21 September, CPJ, IPI, the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) were among those that signed a letter to President Vladimir Putin. The letter expressed alarm at the intensifying threats against press freedom and demanded that the government respect freedom of expression in Russia. The letter can be viewed at http://www.wpfc.org/. [Updates IFEX “Communique” #9-37.]">http://www.wpfc.org/Protest%20Letter%20frames%20page.htm">http://www.wpfc.org/. [Updates IFEX “Communique” #9-37.]

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LES MÉDIAS SONT TOUJOURS CONFRONTÉS AUX MESURES DE CONTRÔLE DE L?ÉTAT

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MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN SIGUEN ENFRENTÁNDOSE A CONTROLES GUBERNAMENTALES

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MEDIA CONTINUES TO FACE GOVERNMENT CONTROLS

New restrictions have been placed on the media concerning coverage of developments in Chechnya, reports the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF). On 11 September, the Vologodskaya Oblast military district departments were instructed by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Internal Affairs to “take under military control all local press publications about Chechnya affairs.” Meanwhile, media workers at "Novaya Zhizn"("New Life") in Babayevo were notified by the regional military registration office that they were not permitted to publish “any information concerning Chechnya” or “any information regarding the location of federal troops and their numbers.”

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PERIODISTA MUERE A CONSECUENCIA DE ATAQUE CON MARTILLO

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UN JOURNALISTE MEURT DES SUITES D?UNE AGRESSION À COUPS DE MARTEAU

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FDG PUBLICA INFORME ANUAL DE SITUACIÓN DE MEDIOS

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LA GDF PUBLIE SON RAPPORT ANNUEL SUR LA SITUATION DES MÉDIAS

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GDF RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT ON MEDIA SITUATION

The Glasnost Defense Foundation (GDF) has issued its annual "Analytical Report" on the media situation in Russia for 1999. The report by GDF legal experts analyses the conflicts the Russian media is involved in, the relations between Russian mass media and the government, and violations of media and journalists' rights. The authors also look at the new situation in Russian mass media following the recent elections to the State Duma.

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PREMIER PAYS À FIGURER SUR LA LISTE DE SURVEILLANCE DE L?IIP

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PRIMER PAÍS EN APARECER EN UNA NUEVA "LISTA DE OBSERVACIÓN DE IPI"

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FIRST COUNTRY TO APPEAR ON NEW "IPI WATCH LIST"

In a 23 June open letter to President Vladimir Putin, the International Press Institute (IPI) placed the Russian Federation on the newly created "IPI Watch List." Despite initial comments by the president that freedom of the press would be encouraged, IPI is disturbed by the apparent sea change in the new government's approach to the media. "The deterioration in press freedom is illustrated by a series of incidents including threats to block the renewal of licenses, the government's attempts to replace independent journalists with obedient political appointees and plans to require licensing of newspapers," says IPI. "These incidents appear to be calculated acts of intimidation designed to silence critical reporting."

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FDG APELA A LOS MEDIOS; PERIODISTA EN CAUTIVERIO 250 DÍAS

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GDF LANCE UN APPEL AUX MÉDIAS; JOURNALISTE EN CAPTIVITÉ PENDANT 250 JOURS

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GDF APPEALS TO MEDIA; JOURNALIST IN CAPTIVITY 250 DAYS

The Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) appeals to local and foreign journalists to unite in protest against President Vladimir Putin's ongoing attack on the media. Putin's attack on the media and recent review of media laws is a threat to all of civil society and their rights, says GDF. "The struggle for civil rights in this country begins with a clampdown on one of the most essential civil rights, the right to information." Under the guise of "fighting terrorism," the Press Ministry issued warnings to several leading newspapers and television companies. In March, Press Minister Lesin cautioned that "any interview with Chechen officers would be regarded as collaboration with the terrorists." Authorities have also claimed that media laws are too liberal and have initiated a process which will "put the electronic media under the unrestricted control of the Press Ministry." The state has also moved to restrict Western media's access to information. In a bid for solidarity between press workers, GDF urges each mass media group to publish at least one article on this issue in Russia. For more information, contact GDF, Moscow, Russia; Tel: +7 095 201 4420 / 201 3242; Fax: +7 095 201 4947; E-mail: fond@gdf.ru; Internet: http://www.gdf.ru.">mailto:fond@gdf.ru">fond@gdf.ru; Internet: http://www.gdf.ru.

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LE TRIBUNAL CONFIRME L?ACQUITTEMENT DE NIKITINE

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DÉCÈS D?UN IMPORTANT JOURNALISTE D?ENQUÊTE

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MUERE IMPORTANTE PERIODISTA DE INVESTIGACIÓN

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LEADING INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST DIES

On 9 March, journalist Artyom Borovik died in an airplane crash while on his way from Moscow to the Ukraine, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The four other passengers aboard the plane, who were from the Russian oil company Alliance Group, also died in the crash. Officials are presently investigating technical reasons for the crash, says CPJ, but they have not ruled out "foul play." According to CPJ, passenger Zeya Bazhayev, chair of the oil company, had received death threats from Chechen rebels for "refusing to supply them with weapons."

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UN TRAVAILLEUR DES MÉDIAS EST MORT; UN JOURNALISTE EST REMIS EN LIBERTÉ

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SE INFORMA MUERTE DE TRABAJADOR DE MEDIOS; PERIODISTA LIBERADO

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MEDIA WORKER REPORTED KILLED; JOURNALIST RELEASED

On 20 February, photojournalist Vladimir Yatsina was reportedly killed by gunman, says the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), based on eyewitness accounts. According to a Kazakh businessman who was being held hostage with Yatsina, the latter was shot while the group was being moved to Shatoi, Chechnya. A photojournalist for ITAR-TASS, Yatsina was initially kidnapped on 19 July in the border town of Nazran, reports CPJ. His kidnappers then took him to Chechnya and contacted his family and employer demanding for 2 million dollars from each in exchange for his release.

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IMPONEN REGULACIÓN DE INTERNET

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INTERNET REGULATION IMPOSED

According to a report from early February by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the Russian government is proposing that Russian website content be regulated by the government. This regulation is one of several proposals in the last month which the government has tried to introduce but has been dissuaded from doing so by Internet specialists and Internet-based media, says RFE/RL. The legislation would force some Internet groups, defined as "mass media," to obtain licenses. According to the Center for Media Law in Moscow, the legislation lacks clarity and as a result, "could be broad enough to mount a serious challenge to freedom of speech in Russia."

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LES MÉDIAS SONT VISÉS ET LA COUVERTURE MÉDIATIQUE EST BLOQUÉE

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MEDIOS ATACADOS Y COBERTURA BLOQUEADA

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MEDIA TARGETED AND COVERAGE BLOCKED

By denying international and local journalists access to Chechnya, Russian authorities are blocking the international community from knowing what is happening in the region, states Human Rights Watch (HRW). Representatives of HRW have also been prevented from entering the region by the Russian military. "By keeping journalists out, Russia is trying to hide the evidence of its brutal campaign in Chechnya from the eyes of the international community," says HRW. These actions by the military occur at a time when the government has launched a new offensive against the independent media in Russia, says the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) based on an article by Charles Fenyvesi in Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Watchlist.

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ESCRITOR NIKITIN ABSUELTO DE CARGOS DE TRAICIÓN

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WRITER NIKITIN ACQUITTED OF TREASON CHARGES

On 29 December 1999, writer, environmentalist and former Soviet submarine captain Alexander Nikitin was acquitted of treason and espionage, according to news reports received by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE). Geoffrey York writes in the 30 December edition of the “Globe and Mail”that Nikitin, who faced up to 12 years in prison, had his activities restricted since he was first arrested in February 1996 on charges brought against him by the Federal Security Service (FSB). Nikitin was tried by the FSB’s closed courts immediately after the publication of a report that he co-authored which revealed information about the role that Russian military submarines have played in producing nuclear waste. The report was subsequently banned and all copies of it seized. Nikitin has received a number of awards for his courageous journalistic work, including most recently from the Los Angeles-based PEN West Center.

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YELTSIN VETA PROYECTO DE LEY DE CONTROL ESTATAL DE MEDIOS ELECTRÓNICOS

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YELTSIN VETOES BILL ON STATE CONTROL OF BROADCAST MEDIA

President Boris Yeltsin vetoed legislation on 31 March that would have established a council of lawmakers to oversee ''the protection of morals in Russian TV and radio broadcasts,'' reports the International Press Institute (IPI). According to IPI, "The President said the legislation would be a form of censorship explicitly outlawed by Russian law." The law, "On the Supreme Council for the Protection of Moral Standards in Television and Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation," which was approved by both houses of Russia's parliament in early March, would have created a high council comprising of 12 members to protect moral standards in broadcasting.

Russia

ELTSINE OPPOSE UN VETO AU PROJET DE LOI SUR LE CONTRÔLE DES MÉDIAS ÉLECTRONIQUE

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UNE ÉCOLE D?ÉTÉ ORGANISE UN COLLOQUE SUR LES MÉDIAS ET LES ÉLECTIONS