In Klebnikov case, opening hearing held in closed court
New York, January 10, 2006—Three ethnic Chechens charged in connection with the July 2004 murder of Forbes Russia Editor Paul Klebnikov went on trial today in a Moscow court that was closed to the public, according to local and international press reports. Kazbek Dukuzov and Musa Vakhayev are charged with killing Klebnikov, an American journalist…
Military investigating newspaper over CIA prison story
New York, January 10, 2006—Swiss Defense Minister Samuel Schmid has instructed military officials to open a criminal inquiry after a Zurich-based weekly SonntagsBlick published a confidential document about purported CIA prisons in Eastern Europe, according to international press reports. Defense Ministry spokesman Jean-Blaise Defago said on Monday that Schmid “ordered an investigation into how this…
Police seize second print run this month of opposition daily
New York, January 10, 2006—Police have seized the entire print run of Belarus’ largest opposition daily for the second time this month, the paper said today. Narodnaya Volya (People’s Will), which has been harassed by authorities for criticizing President Aleksandr Lukashenko, lost all 30,000 copies on January 9. The paper has been forced to print…
CPJ urges Putin to revive probe into disappearance of journalist Maksim Maksimov
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the lack of progress in the investigation into the June 2004 disappearance of journalist Maksim Maksimov in St. Petersburg. Maksimov, 41, an investigative reporter for the St. Petersburg weekly magazine Gorod, was last seen on June 29, 2004, when he went to meet with a source in the city’s downtown district, the business daily Kommersant reported.
Prosecutors drop probe into stabbing death of journalist
New York, January 3, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned that the Belarusian prosecutor’s office has suspended an investigation of the murder of journalist Veronika Cherkasova. Local and international press reports said the authorities shelved the case on December 28 for lack of suspects. The authorities did not examine whether Cherkasova was stabbed…