Independent journalist kidnapped in Chechnya
New York, August 21, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the fate of reporter Elina Ersenoyeva, who was seized by masked men in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya on Thursday. Ersenoyeva is Grozny correspondent for the independent weekly Chechenskoye Obshchestvo (Chechen Society), which is based in neighboring Ingushetia.
Magazine’s print run seized, editor harassed
MAY-JULY 2006 Smolensk CENSORED Vladimir Korenev HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION Copies of the May edition of the monthly magazine Smolensk in the central Russian city of Smolensk were withheld by printer, Mikhailov Print Factory. The issue carried an article by magazine co-founder and Member of Parliament Viktor Drenkovsky criticizing Smolensk Gov. Viktor Maslov’s economic policies.
Defamation suit filed against weekly opposition newspaper
July 31, 2006 Posted: August 25, 2006 Fakt i Kompromat HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION Seven federal prison guards filed a civil defamation suit against the weekly opposition newspaper Fakt i Kompromat in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan. The paper recently published two articles titled, “Who manages the prisons and jails of Astrakhan?” and “The truth…
Photographer assaulted in court room
July 31, 2006 Posted: August 25, 2006 Ivan Kudryavtsev, Listok ATTACKED Kudryavtsev was attacked by Sergei Grechushnikov, head of the Ust-Koksinsky municipality, in Altai Republic, southern Siberia. Kudryavtsev, a photojournalist for the independent weekly newspaper Listok, started to photograph Grechushnikov as he entered the local courthouse, where Grechushnikov was to appear as the plaintiff in…
Unnamed suspect arrested in slaying; police say robbery was motive
New York, July 31, 2006—Authorities in the southern city of Saratov arrested a 39-year-old homeless man on Sunday in the slaying of Yevgeny Gerasimenko, a correspondent for the independent weekly Saratovsky Rasklad whose body was found strangled in his apartment on July 26, local press reports said. The Department of Internal Affairs (GUVD), which is…
President signs law labeling criticism of state officials “extremism”
New York, July 28, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a new law broadening the definition of extremism to include media criticism of state officials. Despite local and international criticism, President Vladimir Putin signed amendments to the Law on Fighting Extremist Activity today, according to Russian press reports. The new legislation will allow…
U.S. Senate issues condemnation in Klebnikov killing
New York, July 28, 2006—The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a resolution condemning the July 2004 murder of Forbes Russia Editor Paul Klebnikov, U.S. Sens. Sam Brownback and Hillary Clinton announced this week. The resolution calls on Russia’s government to aggressively pursue the murder investigation and accept a U.S. offer for assistance, Clinton and Brownback…