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Rosbalt, February 25, 2003

YABLOKO: freedom of speech in Russia's media is shrinking like shagreen leather

St. Petersburg, February 25, 2003. The Russian democratic Party YABLOKO is concerned over the situation in the Russian mass media. The prress service of YABLOKO told the Rosbalt correspondent on Tuesday that this situation had been covered in the statement of the Bureau of the Federal Council of the YABLOKO party "On the Threat to Freedom of Speech in Russia". The statement notes that "another serious step towards curbing the freedom of speech was the closure of Noviye Izvestiya newspaper, whose journalists' view on developments in the country differed from the official one."

According to YABLOKO's leadership, violent acts in the country starting in 2000, the use of the law enforcement agencies as a means to pressurize journalists and media owners, selective application of the law, persecution of opponents in state-controlled media led to the launch of self-censorship of the media owners which results in tough censorship of journalists. Media owners get rid of "awkward" journalists and journalists' teams at the slightest hint of discontent of the authorities, and even without waiting for such a hint. The same developments have been observed in the regions, where developments at federal level are regarded as a signal to attack independent journalism.

YABLOKO's statement also runs that Russian society may be deprived of the possibility to discuss the most important problems of the country, as "the area of freedom in Russia's information space is shrinking as shagreen leather." There is a real threat that on the threshold of parliamentary and presidential elections the campaign of "mopping up" the information field will intensify.

The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO considers protection of freedom of speech a political priority and a key task for all democratic forces and therefore calls on all democratic forces in the country to unite, in order to oppose further attacks on freedom of speech.

 

See also:

Freedom of Speech and Media Law in Russia

Rosbalt, February 25, 2003

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