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Freedom of Speech
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Documents
Press releases
Publications |
| Press
releases and Publications |
| YABLOKO
leader proposed a strategy for the opposition at the
rally in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow
Press Release, May 6, 2013
Speaking at a mass rally in Bolotnaya
Square, Moscow, YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin urged
democratically minded people to go to polling stations
and make the elections honest, rather than ask the
authorities for fair and honest elections.
"There is nothing to discuss
with these authorities, they resist a dialogue, it
is absolutely hopeless to ask something from the authorities,
to demand something from them, it is even pointless
to scold or criticize them. The only thing that makes
sense is to change the government. It's time to change
the power and take it into our hands," said Sergei
Mitrokhin...
...According to Mitrokhin, a single
from the opposition in the gubernatorial elections
in the Moscow Region should be Gennady Gudkov [ousted
from the Duma and the Just Russia party for his oppositional
views].
Mitrokhin also said that a single
list of candidates from the opposition should be nominated
for the Moscow City Duma elections as well...
|
| St.Petersburg
branch of YABLOKO at a democratic manifestation and
a rally of May 6
Press Release, May 6, 2013
A traditional May Day Democratic Manifestation
was held along Nevsky Prospekt and ended with a rally
at Konnyushennaya Square. This year the main slogan
of the manifestation was "For Russia Free from
Political Reprisals and Religious Obscurantism!"
The democratic manifestation was prepared and conducted
by an organizational committee formed on the basis
of the Democratic Petersburg coalition. According
to different estimates, the number of participants
of the manifestation amounted to 1.5 - 2 thousand
people.
The rally meeting at at Konnyushennaya Square was
opened by Alexander Kobrinsky, deputy of the Legislative
Assembly from the YABLOKO party...
|
| Sergei
Mitrokhin: “Putin must make them investigate
the Mikhail Beketov case
Press Release, April 11, 2013
Civil funeral service in memory of
journalist and public activist Mikhail Beketov took
place at the House of Journalists today. Mikhail Beketov
was a Russian journalist who combated against crime
and corruption in the city of Khimki (including defence
of Khimki Forest which had to be cut due the construction
of the Moscow–Saint Petersburg highway). Beketov
was attacked and severely injured by “unidentified
persons” in 2008. As a result his leg and fingers
on the left hand were amputated, he lost speech and
became handicapped. The attackers have not been found.
He died in hospital of complications due to brain
damage at the age of 55 on 8 April 2013...
“Mikhail Beketov struggled face to face against
the crime in Khimki, and there are a few people like
him, however, there are a lot of journalists among
these few. This list [of murdered journalists] coincides
with the list of unsolved murders. The investigators
know the name of the person who ordered this crime,
but there is no will so that to bring this person
to justice. The tragedy of our country is that outright
criminals are in power now. Mikhail stood in their
way and was murdered. President Putin should have
sent not only his condolences, but had to keep up
his promise and take the case under his control. What
else but death can become a reason for this? May the
memory to a great person Mikhail Beketov live forever,”
said Sergei Mitrokhin...
|
| In
defence of the MK newspaper. YABLOKO’s view
Press Release, March 20, 2013
The YABLOKO party believes that the
stance of the State Duma deputies in their
conflict with the MK newspaper violates the Russian
law envisaging that it is the court which takes decisions
on all the disputes relating to publications in the
mass media. The MPs actions not only contravene the
procedures established by law, but are also in conflict
with ethical and moral norms governing public life...
The MPs’ demands to [Pavel Gusev],
Editor-in-Chief of the MK to leave his post of Chairman
of the Moscow Journalists’ Union represents
an attempt to interfere into the spheres of public
life that are completely beyond control of the legislative
authority and are governed by internal corporate standards
of professional communities.
The MPS’ idea to "take
away" MK from Pavel Gusev [who is also the owner
of the paper] is a direct attack on the principle
of the inviolability of private property. Proposing
such solutions to disputes with the media MPs undermine
the legal foundations of the state, which again demonstrates
their great incompetence and catastrophic failure
as the legislators... |
| Grigory
Yavlinsky led YABLOKO’s column at the anti-fascist
manifestation in Moscow
Press Release, January 19,
2013.
Grigory Yavlinsky, YABLOKO founder
and member of its Political Committee, led YABLOKO’s
column at the anti-fascist manifestation in Moscow.
The action was held in memory of lawyer Stanislav
Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova killed
by Neo-Nazis in the centre of Moscow...
Party activists held a banner "Fascism
will not go" and photographs of the killed Stanislav
Markelov, Anastasia Baburova, Yury Schekochikhin,
Farid Babayev, Anna Politkovskaya and Larissa Yudina.
"Fascism is very dangerous: it
emerges all of a sudden and embraces a vast mass of
people. This is a huge problem in human history and
probably one of the most tragic and terrible pages
in the political history of mankind. In our country
fascism may be very dangerous especially when linked
with Stalinism, so even the slightest movements towards
it have to be stopped it. And there are lots of such
movements in life and politics now. Therefore, the
more people will consciously, openly and loudly oppose
fascism, the better it is. And this must be done continuously,"
said Yavlinsky... |
| The
third action of Vladimir Putin supporters in front
of the Krasnodar YABLOKO office is marked by burning
effigies of Sergei Mitrokhin, Evgenia Chirikova and
Alexei Navalny
Press Release, Video, December
6, 2012.
On December 4, 2012, the third action
of Vladimir Putin supporters took place in front of
the Krasnodar office of the YABLOKO party. The action
was organised by the Social Justice public organisation
uniting Vladimir Putin supporters. The participants
of the action burned the effigies of Sergei Mitrokhin,
Evgenia Chirikova and Alexei Navalny.
About 50 people participated in the
‘puting’ (a word coined of two words -
“Putin” and “meeting” - and
meaning a loud action in support of Vladimir Putin).
Most of them were elderly people. They stated that
“YABLOKO was trying to destroy Russia”,
and that “YABLOKO was fungus and moldiness parasiting
on Russia’s healthy body”...
|
| Stop
discrediting Russia!
Statement by YABLOKO Chairman,
November 22, 2012.
The campaign of mobbing of renowned
human rights organisations - the "Memorial",
Transparency International, the Moscow Helsinki Group,
the Foundation for Economic and Legal Development
USRF and "For Human Rights" movement - unleashed
by pro-Kremlin youth movements is unlawful and immoral.
Similar actions are taken in respect
of the YABLOKO party. On November 19 a
second rally by the pro-Putin organisation called
"Social Justice" was held by the Krasnodar
office of the YABOKO party. Vladimir Putin’s
supporters try to make our party to "publicly
apologize for the insulting leaflets against the elected
President"... |
| A
second action in support of Vladimir Putin takes place
in front the Krasnodar office of the YABLOKO party
Press Service by the Krasnodar
branch of YABLOKO, Videos, November 21, 2012.
On November 19, a rally of public
non-governmental organisation Social Justice (supporting
Vladimir Putin) took place in front of the in front
the Krasnodar office of the YABLOKO party.
The organizers of the rally tried to make the Krasnodar
YABLOKO "publicly apologize for the insulting
leaflets against the elected President".
This is already the second action
against YABLOKO organised by Krasnodar supporters
of Vladimir Putin. The first action in a form of a
pocket was held in front of the office of the Krasnodar
branch of YABLOKO on November 1. The pro-Putin rally
gathered about 50 participants who carried slogans
"The Krasnodar Territory supports Putin"
and "Social justice." The overwhelming majority
of the participants were elderly women. Several supervisors
registered those who came to the rally so that to
give them remuneration for participation in the rally...
YABLOKO activists, in turn, spread
among the protesters different materials about Putin,
including the booklet "The Black Sea Palaces
and Their Hosts" and "Life of the Galley
Slave" and other booklets (‘anti-government’
from the point of the view of the organizers of the
rally). The booklets went like hotcakes, despite of
active counteraction of the organizers who tried to
snatch the booklets from the hands of their own activists.
But the participants of the pro-Putin rally turned
out to be interested in alternative information about
Putin and carried away about 100 "anti-government’s"
booklets...
|
| Dismissal
of Radio Liberty journalists and staff is a political
mistake
Statement by Sergei Mitrokhin
and Grigory Yavlinsky, October 10, 2012.
The Russian United Democratic Party
YABLOKO expresses its deep concern with the situation
around the Radio Liberty Russian Service. Mass dismissal
of the key journalists of the Moscow Bureau endangers
the very existence of Radio Liberty as an objective
and high-quality media.
The official version about transfer
to the new digital technologies and abolishing of
broadcasting on the medium waves is beyond any criticism.If
this were the real reason, then the Radio Liberty
management would not have fired in the first ranks
the staff of the Radio Liberty web-site, which made
the Radio Liberty web-site one of the most respected
and quoted political resources of the Russian segment
of the Internet.
Apparently, this demonstrates a bureaucratic
error turning into a political error. Bureaucrats
from mass media were solving their narrow tasks and
did not take into account the political consequences,
which are as follows: the Russian audience is deprived
of the source of information they have trusted for
decades, and it is obvious that the reputation of
the media is, above all, the reputation of its journalists...
|
| Grigory
Yavlinsky wants independent television channel Dozhd
to come to St. Petersburg
Press Release, September 7,
2012.
Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Yabloko
faction in the St. Petersburg’s parliament,
proposed to the largest cable operator in the city
to include television channel
Dozhd (Rain) into the basic package of TV channels
offered to braod public.
Grigory Yavlinsky expressed his certainty
that St.Petersburg viewers would be interested in
receiving honest news and discussion programmes, as
well as live broadcasts by the channel, such as had
been done by Dozhd from winter and spring mass-scale
rallies in Moscow and on the flooding in South Russia.
YABLOKO leader also added that audience
would be interested in the views of the leading journalists
of the Dozhd channel, including Leonid Parfyonov,
Pavel Lobkov, Mikhail Kozyrev, Mikhail Fishman, Mikhail
Zygar and Ksenia Sobchak... |
| Pickets
against the law on non-profit organisations and the
libel law held by the State Duma
Press Release, July 13, 2012.
Today YABLOKO activists conducted
by the State Duma a series of one-person pickets against
the law on non-profit organisations and the libel
law considerably worsening the situation for civil
society activists. YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin
who also participated in the action said that the
State Duma should concentrate on the creation of a
commission for investigating the causes of the tragic
flood in the Krasnodar Territory, rather than consideration
of reprisals prone amendments to the law on non-profit
organisations and restoring liability for libel as
a criminal offense.
YABLOKO activists in turn held a banner
picturing Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Heinrich
Himmler, Felix Dzerzhinsky, Lavrenty Beria and Vladimir
Putin with a subscription "Amendments to the
law on non-profit organisations. Fascists are for
it! KGB people are for it!"
Sergei Mitrokhin also participated in a journalists'
picket against the libel law. He drew a placard "No
to the libel law" at site... |
| YABLOKO
demands investigation of the actions of the head of
Russia's Investigative Committee
Statement by YABLOKO Chairman,
June 13, 2012.
Information about an intimidation
campaign launched by Alexander Bastrykin, head of
Russia’s Investigative Committee, against Sergei Sokolov,
journalist of oppositional Novaya Gazeta, is extremely
alarming.
It provides ample grounds to begin
an immediate investigation of what happened on June
4 in Nalchik and the Moscow region.
We demand that such an investigation
is conducted and full information on the results of
such investigation must be publicized.
We also believe that until the investigation
is completed, more attention should be paid to security
provisions for Novaya Gazeta journalists... |
| YABLOKO
leader proposes to form Public Television Supervisory
Board out of representatives of political parties
Press Release, April 26, 2012.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin in
his speech at the “Open Tribune” meeting criticized
the President's initiative on public television. According
to Mitrokhin, the key problem was the functioning
of the state-owned television "uncontrolled by
the society, censored and manipulating with public
opinion”, rather than absence of public television
in Russia.
Mitrokhin also noted that Presidential
Decree on establishing of public television represented
"another bureaucratic imitation": "public's
attention would be simply switched onto channels functioning
of decimeter frequencies, while the meter channels
would remain mouthpieces for propaganda"...
He proposed a different mechanism for
formation of the Supervisory Board, which "would
create truly independent television". The Board
should include representatives of various political
parties or parliamentary factions. “However, there
should be an equal number of representatives from
each of the parties, so that to avoid the dominance
of the [ruling] United Russia [party]," stressed
Mitrokhin.
|
| Rally
held on the birthday of Vladimir Putin's censorship
on TV
Press Release, April 14, 2012.
About 300 people took part in the
rally "For the freedom of the media! Against
the lies and censorship on TV! The rally was held
by the Ostankino TV centre on April 14. The action
began and ended with demonstrations. A column of YABLOKO
activists led by party Chairman Sergei Mitrokhin marched
from the metro station to the site of the rally despite
the ban of the authorities on a march. In the end
of the rally the participants made a “present” to
"Putin's censorship" on its birthday.
April 14 is considered to be the birthday
of Vladimir Putin's censorship on television. At night
of April 13 on April 14, 2001, there was forceful
change of the Board of the key Russian independent
private television company NTV...
|
| An
opposition march towards Ostankino television centre
banned. A rally for the freedom of the media to take
place by the television centre
Press Release, April 4, 2012.
The local authorities of the North-Western
Administrative District of Moscow denied YABLOKO a
permission to hold a march towards the Ostankino television
centre on April 14. The officials proposed to the
organizers to hold a rally instead. Also they limited
the number of participants from 5,000 (as in YABLOKO’s
application) to 200.
Initially it was planned to hold a
march and a rally. The local authorities did not give
any reasons for not giving a permission for the march... |
| YABLOKO
leaders Sergei Mitrokhin and Grigory Yavlinsky spoke
at a rally in Novy Arbat prospect, Moscow
Press Release, March 10, 2012.
YABLOKO leaders Sergei Mitrokhin and
Grigory Yavlinsky spoke at a rally in Novy Arbat prospect,
Moscow. Sergei Mitrokhin gave his time for the speech
to Alexei Sklyarov, Editor-in-Chief the Pulse television
company in Azov. It is the only independent television
company in southern Russia, however, local authorities
began pressing the company after Alexei Sklyarov headed
the League of Voters in Azov.
"We together
with the League of Voters conducted monitoring and
control over voting [at elections] across the country.
And once again I would like to state that the elections
of March 4 were rigged. We are not going to make speeches
today, we would like to give the time allotted for
our speeches to a unique person - Alexei Sklyarov.
He is the head of the only free, independent television
company in the southern Russia. His television company
has been attacked because he together with YABLOKO
monitored the elections," Sergei Mitrokhin told
to the protesters...
Grigory Yavlinsky addressed the participants
of the rally with n a brief speech, "Friends,
I am glad to meet you again. It is already my sixth
speech at a rally for the past three months. I remember
every word I said. We will accomplish all this. The
road is long and difficult. The victory in the fight
will not come soon, but it will come. Russia will
be free. Russia demands changes!"
|
| Grigory
Yavlinsky’s statement prepared for the rally in Novy
Arbat* on March 10
March 9, 2012.
If I have a chance to speak at the
rally on March 10, I would demanded the following
from the authorities:
- release of political prisoners;
- show mercy and pardon those who committed minor
offenses;
- stop unlawful prosecution of businessman Alexei
Kozlov;
- investigate all the cases of fraud at [parliamentary]
elections of December 4 and [presidential] elections
of March 4, punish the guilty, completely reform the
Central Electoral Commission and dismiss Vladimir
Churov, head of the commission;
- immediately consider together with the newly emerging
public committees for political reform proposals for
the radical change of the electoral system and to
adopt such proposals.
We continue fighting for what I and
Sergei Mitrokhin spoke about at the rallies on December
10, December 17, December 24, demonstration of February
4 and on March 5:
- complete replacement of the present closed authoritarian,
oligarchic, inhuman political system and legal removal
of the ruling group headed by Vladimir Putin from
governing;
- creation in Russia of a system in which law would
be the same for everybody, property - inviolable and
the court - independent;
- creation of committees for political reform across
the country, freedom of media from censorship and
uniting of the democratic forces;
- development of a political, economic, moral and
personal ALTERNATIVE to the present regime which would
be able to win in a peaceful and legitimate political
struggle...
|
| How
I Got Kicked Out of Russia.
The New York Times, February 28, 2012.
...He is standing; I'm seated. With
every statement, he lifts off his heels; the man looks
down on me with all his arrogance. "Judging by
your visa, the stated purpose of your visit in Russia
does not match your real activities." "What
real activities?" I dare to ask in return.
He fires back, "You are meeting
with members of the opposition."
Flummoxed, I'm left speechless for
a moment. But I realize he isn’t kidding. Never in
10 years of reporting in post-Soviet Russia — including
during the eight years I spent living here and covering
the war in Chechnya — have the authorities faulted
me for something with such grave consequences. The
official says that I’ll have to pay a fine, to be
determined by the colonel. My visa will be canceled
immediately, and I’ll be given a transit document
requiring that I leave the country within three days.
Not once is the word "journalist" uttered...
The
original publication in the New York Times
|
| Stop
persecution of Novaya Gazeta!
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
February 22, 2012.
Pressure on the National Reserve Bank
financing Novaya Gazeta can not be regarded as accidental.
It is a deliberate political persecution on the threashold
of the presidential election of one of the best Russian
printed media which has always demonstrated its honest,
objective and independent position.
The authorities are mortally scared of the society
and of the truth. Therefore, they have launched persecutions
against journalism.
We demand to immediately cease persecution of Novaya
Gazeta and ensure normal publication of the paper...
|
| Extradition
of writer and journalist Anne Nivat represents probation
of a reprisals response on the growth of civil activity
Statement by YABLOKO Chairman. February
15, 2012.
The Federal Migration Service unlawful
and insulting actions against Anne Nivat, French journalist
and writer, create a dangerous precedent. A
journalist implementing her professional duty and
never violating Russian laws was put under surveillance
and was expelled from the country on political grounds
– after she had spoken to the opponents of the present
Russian government.
Such actions return us to totalitarian
practices, when the state regarded any oppositional
activities and contacts with foreign press a direct
threat to the state security. This
has never happened even in Putin’s Russia. However
now we have witnessed an attempt to restore such practices.
We regard this as purposeful actions
by the representatives of the state, a reprisals tryout
as a response to the civil activity growth. We demand
an immediate revision of the decision by the Federal
Migration Service on Anne Nivat and offering her an
apology at a level of at least a service head. We
demand punishment for those responsible for abusive
actions against Anne Nivat.
If this is not done, the reprisals tryout will pass
successfully into our life.
|
| In
support of the Echo Moskvi radio station
Grigory Yavlinsky’s
Live Journal, February 14, 2012.
The authorities wish to turn [oppositional]
Echo Moskvi [radio station] into an echo of the [pro-governmental]
Channel One. Replacements in the Board of Directors
of this radio station is a step in this direction.
It is a direct state pressure on the media, and not
only on Echo Moskvi. This is a warning demonstrating
to the Russian citizens what will happen after presidential
elections.
This step is made now because the
situation in the country and in the society has been
changing. It is not surprising that the reaction [of
the authorities] is reprisals. The authorities simply
have not had any other experience. And we should be
ready to such a reaction.
But the key thing in this situation
is that the movement that has begun in the society
can not be halted by either reprisals or bribing habitual
for the authorities...
|
| French
Author Says Russia Expelled Her on Political Grounds
The Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2012.
Prominent French journalist and author
Anne Nivat said Russian immigration authorities forced
her to leave the country where she was working on
a book on the current political situation...
Ms. Nivat said she traveled to Russian
provincial towns where she was meeting, among others,
with members of the opposition. She traveled outside
Vladimir to meet with a local official from the Yabloko
party.
She said ten minutes after her return
to a hotel in Vladimir Friday, the immigration officers
showed up at her hotel and took her to their station.
“They canceled my one-year multi-entry business visa
and gave me a transit visa, according to which I had
three days to leave Russia,” she said.
Ms. Nivat said that the officers made
clear to her that she had been followed for days—they
mentioned her meetings with members of the Communist
Party and Yabloko in Petrozavodsk, another provincial
town in Russia’s north...
publication
in the WSJ
Russian
Immigration Officer Sacked after Expelling French
Author. The Wall Street Journal, February 14,
2012
Russia
expels French journalist 'for talking to foes of Putin'.
The Guardian, February 14, 2012
|
| YABLOKO
website threatened with closure
Press Release, January 31, 2012.
Public prosecutor
of Moscow requires the YABLOKO party to provide information
about the organization, where the web-site server
of yabloko.ru is physically located. Investigators
are interested in the actual location of the organization,
its legal address and contact telephone numbers.
The request of the
prosecutor's office was given to the party this morning.
Further, the information must be provided to Zamoskvoretskaya
Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office as early as 15:00.
The requirements put
forward during the audit were launched upon request
to the prosecution by the Central Electoral Commission’s
chief Vladimir Churov. The latter appealed to the
prosecutors after YABLOKO published on its website
the so-called "Churov list" - a list of
leaders of local electoral commissions, where protocols
of voting were falsified or the observers were removed
without any reason on the parliamentary elections
voting day December 4, 2011...
|
| Unidentified
persons burnt the office of "Vechrniy Krasnokamsk"
weekly published by YABLOKO
Press Release, January 28, 2012.
Fire resulting from an arson fire
has completely destroyed the office of "Vechrniy
Krasnokamsk" weekly this night. The founder and
editor-in-chief of the weekly is Olga Kolokolova,
leader of the Perm YABLOKO branch and deputy of the
City Council in Krasnokamsk. Olga believes that it
is a revenge by Yury Chechyotkin, the city Mayor,
for journalists’ investigation into his embezzlement
of budget funds allocated for housing repairs in the
city...
In April 2011, unknown persons assailants
beat Olga Kolokolova’s father – deputy of the Krasnokamsk
City Duma Arkady Kolokolov. He helped the crew of
the "Riphey-Perm" television company, which
investigated the circumstances of the repairs in the
TSZh Parkovoi. The contractor hired by the managing
company providing services for the house received
4.5 million rubles, but the works were not completed...
In addition, in November 2011, on
the eve of the parliamentary elections of December
4, 2011 and the Legislative Assembly of the Perm Area,
Svetlana Ivanova, candidate from the YABLOKO party
was attacked by an unidentified person. She was
hit on the head, the blow broke the frontal bone.
She will remain disabled...
|
| Putin
Awards Opposition Journalist. By Alexander Bratersky
The Moscow Times, November
2, 2011
...But the government needs to punish
the attackers to prove it is serious, said Beketov's
supporters, including Yabloko party leader Sergei
Mitrokhin and Yevgenia Chirikova, who heads the campaign
in defense of the forest.
"If they can give Misha back
his leg and the third of his brain that got smashed
away, I'm all in favor," an indignant Chirikova
said Tuesday, according to Gazeta.ru.
"But if this is just a way of
saying, 'Oh, what a nice Misha!' by the people who
have created the system that crippled him, then this
is cynicism, pure and simple," she said.
Mitrokhin said by phone that he was
sad the authorities didn't think about Beketov until
it was too late.
"The government didn't care about
him when he was lying there dying in a Khimki hospital,"
said Mitrokhin, who helped to transfer Beketov to
a better medical facility after the attack...
The
original publication by the Moscow Times
|
| From
Democracy to Freedom. The Main Task of Political Changes
in Russia Is To Disparage the Plebeianism of the People
and the Authorities Alike. By
Alexei Melnikov.
Gazeta.ru, October 31, 2011
The thesis in liberal political circles
that there is insufficient democracy in Russia is
something that is obvious in itself. But the main
problem, on the contrary, is the absence of aristocratism
and elitism, the blending of genres, persons, and
institutions.
Everything is subordinated to a kind
of uniform standard based on the power of money. On
this altar scientific conscientiousness, the talents
of journalists, and political reputations are sacrificed.
And when some kind of moneybags ascends on the political
horizon, a significant part of the political community
begins to shake its little wings in excitement, in
the hope that the golden dust will settle on them.
In point of fact, it was in this that
the main content of the "Prokhorov phenomenon"
and other similar appearances of big money in Russian
politics lay. This is why the general picture is painted
in a single colour with different hues -instead of
freely flourishing complexity, we have the emulation
of plebeianism in the very worst sense of this word...
|
| Russia
clamps down on opposition before elections. By Kathy
Lally
The Washington Post, October
30, 2011
...Petlin, now 38 and the only Yabloko
member in the 28-seat city Duma, kept battling the
shopping center. On Aug, 26, his freedom was revoked
and he was taken to pretrial Detention Center No.
1, which is so overcrowded, Bashkov said, that each
cell holds twice its capacity. People sleep on the
floor, or take turns on the beds. Tuberculosis and
hepatitis are rampant. "We are talking about
innocent people who haven't been tried," he said.
A few days ago, with prosecutors still
unprepared to try him, Petlin's detention was extended
until Dec. 22.
"I think he had an idea about
the scale of the corruption," said Petlin's wife,
Tatyana, "but none of us could even imagine this"...
The
original publication by the Washington Post
|
| Sergei
Mitrokhin connects resignation of Vyacheslav Dudka,
Governor of Tula Region, with corruption scandals
Press Release, July 29, 2011
"Resignation of Vyacheslav Dudka,
Governor Tula Region, is connected with corruption
scandals around him and his people," said YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin.
"It was clear for me that Dudka would resign
soon after court acquitted Vladimir Timakov, MP of
the Tula City Duma [who was a defendant on a libel
case for his criticism of the Governor], on June 30,"
Mitrokhin added.
Court found that Vladimir Timakov, YABLOKO’s
MP in the Tula City Duma was guilty of libel in November
2010. The court found that Timakov’s criticism
of the Governor for corruption was “libel”... |
| YABLOKO
campaign unfairly targeted
ELDR Press Release, July 22, 2011.
...In conducting a campaign in the
Black Sea coastal region to return public land, including
beaches and forest areas, to the people and to stop
the construction of oil shipment terminals, ELDR member
party YABLOKO, has been targeted by an unknown source
which is calling for the party to be put on a list
of terrorist organisations and for its activities
to be prohibited.
Click
here to read YABLOKO's press release on this matter.
This follows the arrest last month
of YABLOKO activists campaigning for better environmental
awareness and consideration at the Black Sea coast.
Read
more.
The notion of wanting to label a political
party as being a terrorist organisation on the basis
of conducting a peaceful campaign that represents
the views of a number of citizens living in the area
concerned is very worrying and a clear infringement
of human rights and on the actions of YABLOKO as a
political party. ELDR deplores such attempts to limit
the freedom of expression of the Russian people and
the underhand tactics used against YABLOKO to halt
the campaign. |
| A
“chalk written slogan” action “This
government must go!” was held in different Russian
cities
Press Release, July 14, 2011
On July 13 activists of the Youth
Yabloko in different Russian cities conducted a solidarity
action with their young colleagues from Ekaterinburg
and Moscow who had been detained for anti-government
slogans done in chalk on the pavement...
Activists of the Chelyabinsk Youth
Yabloko conducted an action by the ruling United Russia’s
office. Young Yabloko activists wrote in chalk on
the pavement in front of the ruling party’s
office slogans "This government must go,"
"Go away!" and "This government does
not need us"...
|
| Young
YABLOKO’s activists arrested for writing on
the pavement with chalk “This government should
resign!” in front of the United Russia’s
office
Press Release, July 13, 2011
Today police arrested activists of
the Youth YABLOKO – Kirill Gontcharov, Gleb
Sitnikov and Sofia Rusova – for writing “This
government should resign!” in front of the United
Russia’s party office in the center of Moscow...
Today’s action by the United Russia office was
conducted in solidarity with the activists of the
Youth YABLOKO branch in the Sverdlovsk region –
Anastasya Zheltisheva and Eugeni Mezentsev - who stood
before court today for writing the same slogan during
a concert organised by United Russia in Ekaterinburg...
Actions of solidarity are held today by United Russia’s
offices in other cities: St.Petersburg, Penza, Chelyabinsk
and Kostroma.
|
| Public
Prosecutor dismisses charges against YABLOKO’s
MP in the Tula parliament Vladimir Timakov
Press Release,
June 30, 2011.
On July 30 Public Prosecutor
dismissed his charges against YABLOKO’s MP in
the Tula parliament Vladimir Timakov. Public Prosecutor
asked to close the case due to for absence of elements
of crime in the act after getting the results of a
linguistic expertise. This means that the sentence
of the court of the first instance recognising Timakov
guilty of libel for his criticism of the Governor
of the Tula Region will be cancelled.
Over two yeas ago Vyacheslav Dudka, Governor of the
Tula Region, started litigation against YABLOKO’s
MP in the Tula City Parliament Vladimir Timakov for
the criticism of the latter of the Governor’s
performance accusing Timakov of libel. In the first
civil process the Governor won 1.5 mln roubles of
“moral damage” from Timakov and than tried
to persecute the MP in the criminal proceedings which
could have led to deprivation of Timakov of his deputy’s
mandate... |
| Tuapse
printing facility refused to print YABLOKO’s
bulletin for the rally obeying the order from the
authorities
Press Release,
June 24, 2011.
Tuapse subsidiary of
the Kuban Printing Works refused to print YABLOKO’s
bulletin on environmental problems “Let Us Save
the City”. YABLOKO and North Caucasus Environmental
Watch planned to conduct a rally against launching
of chemical shipments terminal on Sunday, June 26... |
| Activists
of the Youth branch of St.Petersburg YABLOKO held
a Skype conference under the FSB windows
Press Release, April 13, 2011.
Activists of the St.
Petersburg Youth branch of YABLOKO held a flashmob
in front of the Federal Security Service (FSB) office
in St. Petersburg. The action was conducted in response
to the recent statements by the representatives of
the FSB on the need to ban Gmail, Hotmail and Skype
in Russia.
Several activists organized a Skype-conference
directly under the windows of the Federal Security
Service. The activists held laptops connected to the
Internet and also held inscriptions "The threat
to Russian security" on their backs. The participants
of the Skype-conference discussed the recent statement
by the FSB and came to a conclusion that the idea
to ban Skype, Gmail and Hotmail was "stupid and
useless". Chair St. Petersburg Youth Yabloko
Alexander Gudimov also held a banner "Freedom
can not be banned”... |
| Editor-in-Chief
of the Pskovskaya Gubernya paper and leader of the
Pskov branch of YABLOKO Lev Schlosberg became wins
the Golden Pen of Russia award
February 12, 2011.
Editor-in-Chief of the Pskovskaya
Gubernya (The Pskov Province) paper and leader of
the Pskov branch of YABLOKO Lev Schlosberg became
won the Golden Pen of Russia award - the highest professional
award of the Russian Journalists Union. It is already
the second year that members of the YABLOKO party
win this prestigious award. Last year the winner of
the award was member of the YABLOKO’s Bureau
and a columnist of the popular Novaya Gazeta paper
Boris Vishnevsky.The honorary title of the Golden
Pen of Russia is awarded to Russian journalists for
outstanding creative achievements by merit or for
individual publications demonstrating professional
excellence, civil position and personal courage of
the author... |
| YABLOKO
participated in a march and a rally in memory of Stanislav
Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova
Press Release, January 19,
2011
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin,
member of YABLOKO’s Bureau Valery Borschov and
activists of the Moscow branch of the party participated
in a march and a rally in memory of Stanislav Markelov
and Anastasiya Baburova.
Several hundreds people marched along
the Tverskoy Boulevard to the Novopushkinsky Garden
in the centre of Moscow. The participants held portraits
of the murdered antifascists and journalists. A short
rally took place in the Novopushkinsky Garden. People
spoke about the neonazists’ crimes performed
at the negligence of the authorities. One of the last
speeches by Stanislav Markeov recorded shortly before
his death was demonstrated on one of the large monitors... |
| Leaders
and activists of the YABLOKO party laid flowers to
the place of murder of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya
Baburova
Press Release, January
19, 2011
Leader of the YABLOKO party Sergei
Mitrokhin and members of YABLOKO’s Political
Committee Grigory Yavlinsky and Mikhail Amosov, as
well as leaders and activists of the Moscow YABLOKO
laid flowers to the place of murder of lawyer Stanislav
Markelov and journalist Anastasiya Baburova in the
centre of Moscow at Prechistenka street.
Later today (at 8 p.m.) Sergei Mitrokhin will participate
in the memorial rally organised by the Committee of
January 19. The rally will take place in the Novopushkinsky
garden.
Markelov and Baburova were murdered in Moscow in plain
daylight on January 19, 2009, shot in the head by
a gunman. According to the investigators, the crime
was performed by neonazies...
|
| YABLOKO
to pay tribute to the memory of Stanislav Markelov
and Anastasiya Baburova
Press Release, January
18, 2011
Tomorrow on January 19 (at 14-30)
the leader and activists of the YABLOKO party will
lay flowers to the place at Prechistenka street where
lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasiya
Baburova were killed.
Later on the same day (20-00) Sergei
Mitrokhin will participate in the memorial rally organised
by the Committee of January 19. The rally will take
place in the Novopushkinsky garden...
|
| YABLOKO
conducted a memorial action paying tribute to murdered
journalists
Press Release, December 15,
2010
On Wednesday, December 15, on the
Journalists Memorial Day, the YABLOKO party conducted
a memorial action paying tribute to murdered journalists.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and head of
YABLOKO’s Gender faction Galina Mikhalyova also
participated in the picketing.
The action took place by the Griboyedov monument at
Chistiye Prudy. YABLOKO’s activists held photographs
of murdered journalists with the dates when they were
killed and placards “Univestogated murders =
a disgrace for the state!” and “No one
brought to account?” showing that the murders
have been still uninvestigated. The murderers of P.Khlebnikov
(The Forbes), I.Domnikov, Yu.Schekochikhin, A.Politkovskaya
(Novaya Gazeta), A.Sidorov, V.Ivanov (Toliattinskoye
Obozreniye) E.Markevich (Noviy Ref), Ya.Yaroshenko
(Korruptzia I Prestupnost), V.Krivosheyev (Komsomolskaya
Pravda, Lipetsk), Larissa Yudina (Sovietskaya Kalmykia)
and many other have not been found...
|
| YABLOKO
to conduct a memorial action paying tribute to murdered
journalists
Press Release, December 14,
2010
On Wednesday, December 15, the YABLOKO
party will conduct a memorial action paying tribute
to murdered journalists. The picket will take place
on the Journalists Memorial Day devoted to journalists
who were killed in the line of their duty and conducted
by the Russian Journalists’ Union. The action
will take place by the Griboyedov monument at Chiastiye
Prudy. YABLOKO’s activists will hold photographs
of murdered journalists with the dates when they were
killed. The activists will also hold a banner with
a question “No one brought to account?”
against a background of photos of the journalists
whose murders have been still uninvestigated. Thus
the murderers of P.Khlebnikov (The Forbes), I.Domnikov,
Yu.Schekochikhin, A.Politkovskaya (Novaya Gazeta),
A.Sidorov, V.Ivanov (Toliattinskoye Obozreniye) E.Markevich
(Noviy Ref), Ya.Yaroshenko (Korruptzia I Prestupnost),
V.Krivosheyev (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Lipetsk), Larissa
Yudina (Sovietskaya Kalmykia) and many other. The
activists will light candles in memory of the killed
journalists... |
| On
the court judgment on Vladimir Timakov libel case
Statement by the Chairman
of the Tula YABLOKO, November 30, 2010
Yesterday night Tula Court passed
a judgment which proclaimed deputy of the Tula City
Duma from the YABLOKO party journalist Vladimir Timakov
guilty of libel against Governor of the Tula region.
Such a judgment on Timakov was
made as he had laid the blame for the growth of corruption
in the Tula region on Governor Dudka as the top official
of the region. Timakov had explained his opinion by
growth of corruption cases against top regional and
municipal officials.
The court of the first instance had
already obliged Vladimir Timakov to pay to the Governor
RUR 1.5 million (approx. USD 500,000) as a compensation
of moral damage. Unfortunately yesterday’s decision
of the judge did not come as a surprise. The Tula
regional branch of YABLOKO considers the guilty verdict
[against Timakov] as another confirmation that independent
judicial system is lacking in Russia and in the Tula
region in particular...
|
| YABLOKO
leaves the rally protesting against participation
of nationalists
Press Release, November 21,
2010
The YABLOKO party left the rally against
arbitrary rule during trails against journalists and
human rights activists protesting against participation
in the rally of the ultra-right Russkiy Obraz (The
Russian Image) organisation that came to the rally
bearing their flags. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
proposed to the representative of nationalists a compromise
– to participate in the rally without their nationalistic
symbols but the latter refused. After this YABLOKO
including activists from the Tula branch of YABLOKO,
the Moscow YABLOKO and Sergei Mitrokhin, left the
Pushkin Square.
The activists of the Tula branch of
YABLOKO specially came to Moscow so that to tell about
criminal persecutions against Vladimir Timakov, deputy
of the Tula Regional Duma (regional parliament) from
the YABLOKO faction , for alleged “libel” against
Governor of the Tula Region Vuacheslav Dudka. In accordance
with Article 129 of the Criminal Code Timakov faces
three years of imprisonment for his criticism of the
Governor...
|
| YABLOKO’s
action in protection of journalists
Newsler.ru, November 15, 2010
On November 14, the YABLOKO party
conducted a federal action against political terror
launched against journalists and civil activists.
Such a picket was held in Kirov.
At noon six activists of YABLOKO’s
regional branch unfolded YABLOKO’s flags and placards
“Search for truth = a way to death?”, “Who will protect
the defenders?” and “Uninvestigated attacks [on journalists
and human rights actvists]= a disgrace of the state!”
Denis Shadrin, deputy head of the regional branch
of YABLOKO told to the “Reporter” that attack against
journalist Oleg Kashin was the reason for organizing
the picket. “This incident was the law straw that
breaks the camel’s back, as there were cases of violence
against representatives of the media and civil activists,”
Shadrin said. “The lives of the people who are telling
the truth to the society are very important and should
be in safety.” The goal of the picket was to draw
the attention of the authorities to this problem...
|
| Action
against persecution of journalists took place in Samara
samru.ru, November 15, 2010
On November 14, several one-person
pickets demanding to stop persecutions of civil activists
and journalists took place in Samara.Five people participated
in picketing at the Heroes of the 21 Army Square (including
journalist from the Echo Moskvi radio station Gor
Melkonyan and head of YABLOKO’s regional branch
Igor Yermolenko), five more people came to support
the picket.
The participants of the action held
a placard “Stop persecuting civil activists
and journalists!”, another placard contained
names of activists and journalists murdered or injured
for the past years and a questions “Who’s
next?”...
|
| 500
people came to a rally against political terror in
Moscow
Press Release, November 14,
2010
About 500 people came to a rally against
political terror which took place in Moscow today,
despite of the fact that only 300 people were allowed
for the rally by the authorities. The rally was initiated
by the YABLOKO party, the Movement for Protection
of the Khimki Forest and a number of other public
organisations. The action was conducted on the second
anniversary of attack on Mikhail Beketov, Editor-in-Chief
of the Khimki Pravda paper, who was left handicapped
due to grave injuries. The participants of the rally
also paid tribute to other journalists and public
activists – victims of “political bandits”...
|
| Liberal
International discussed political banditism in Russia
Press Release, November 13,
2010
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
made a report on situation in Russia at the meeting
of Liberal International Executive Committee which
is taking place in Cape Town, South African Republic.
Mitrokhin began his report with bad
news. He told about an attack on civil activist Konstantin
Fetisov and journalist Oleg Kashin. “Such crimes
become more frequent, as they go unpunished,”
stressed YABLOKO’s leader.
According to Mitrokhin, “in
words Russian leaders advocate the rule of law and
democracy. But their deeds strikingly differ from
their declarations”. “The Russian authorities
are unable to ensure implementation of laws in the
country. But they widely practice arbitrary use of
law as an instrument for protection of their political
and economic interests,” he noted.
Regional elections are falsified,
which demonstrates insecurity of the ruling party’s
position. “High popularity ratings of Putin
and Medvedev and very low rates of public trust to
the state and public institutes demonstrate instability
of our political system,” Mitrokhin said... |
| YABLOKO's
Federal Council adopts a New Course
Press Release, November 9,
2010
YABLOKO’s Federal Council meeting
took place on November 5-6, 2010. The Federal Council
is YABLOKO’s representative body and comprises
about 170 people...
...In the document entitled “On
the New Political Course” the Federal Council
states the YABLOKO “considers qualitative evolutionary
changes in Russia’s political and economic system
by the key political task”. “We are reaffirming
our the commitment to the principles and objectives
stated in the Programme of the YABLOKO party - the
Democratic manifesto. Construction of a modern democratic
welfare state of the European type which would expresses
the interests of the civil society and be controlled
by it is the only possible way of Russia’s development.
There is no other strategy for preservation and development
of Russia,” runs the document...
|
| YABLOKO
to conduct an action in support of human rights activists
and journalists in Ekaterinburg
Press Release, November 11,
2010
On Sunday, November 14, YABLOKO will
hold a rally by the office of the ruling United Russia
party in Ekaterinburg. The action will take place
on the anniversary of the attack on Mikhail Beketov,
Editor-in-Chief of the Khimkinskaya Pravda newspaper,
and will be dedicated to all civil activists and journalists
- victims of attacks and assaults...
"I believe that it is the ruling
party, represented by its youth organisations, which
has been fueling the fire of a deadly feud, fascism,
and search of enemies in their country. I think that
what we see today is just a consequence of this policy.
I believe that violence can be ended only be means
of civil protest and joining effort by all civil and
political forces. Kremlin’s ideologists should
realise that we will not tolerate such things",
said Maxim Petlin, leader of the Sverdlovsk branch
of YABLOKO and member of Ekaterinburg City Duma...
|
| YABLOKO
obtains a permission from the Moscow Mayor’s
office to conduct a rally against political terror
Press Release, November 9,
2010
Today YABLOKO has obtained a permission
from the Moscow Mayor’s office to conduct a
rally against political terror on November 14. The
rally will take place by the Giboyedov monument at
Chistiye Prudi. The rally marks the sad anniversary
of an attack against journalist and Editor-in-Chief
of the Khimki Pravda paper Mikhail Beketov left handicapped
because of the injuries (Mikhail was one of the activists
protecting the Khimki Forest near Moscow and criticizing
the local authorities), and will be commemorate all
the journalists and human rights activists who were
injured or murdered. The participants of the action
will speak about Konstantin Fetisov, activist protecting
the Khimiki Forest, and journalist of the Kommersant
paper Oleg Kashin who were severely injured several
days ago...
|
| Pickets
in support of journalist Oleg Kashin take place in
St.Petersburg
Press Release, November 8,
2010
Pickets in support of journalist from
the Kommersant paper Oleg Kashin attacked and severely
injured at night on November 6, took place in St.Petersburg
on Saturday and Sunday. The pickets were held in the
main street of the city Nevsky Prospekt. Students
from different universities, journalists and activists
of St.Petersburg Youth YABLOKO participated in the
picketing... |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin took part in the picket of solidarity with
journalist Oleg Kashin
Press Release, November 8,
2010
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
participated in the picketing of the Moscow Interior
Office where journalists and public activists have
been holding an ongoing action demanding to investigate
the attack against journalist of the popular Kommersant
paper Oleg Kashin...
|
| On
the attack against journalist Oleg Kashin
Statement by the Federal Council
of the YABLOKO party, November 6, 2010
The Federal Council of the Russian
United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses indignation
in connection with the attack against journalist of
the Kommersant paper Oleg Kashin who was severely
injured.
There is every reason to believe that
the attack was related to his professional activities.
YABLOKO wishes to Oleg Kashin a speedy recovery, and
demands from the law enforcement a thorough investigation
and punishment of those who committed this attack.
The YABLOKO party states that it is
ready to participate in an independent investigation
of the circumstances of this crime and render all
possible assistance, its human and organizational
resources to Editor-in-Chief Mikhail Mikhailin and
the team of the Kommersant paper. YABLOKO has already
had an experience of such investigations: on the case
of murder of our friend and party colleague well-known
Russian journalist Larissa Yudina...
|
| A
party in memory of Larissa Yudina to take place in
YABLOKO’s office
Press Release, October 20,
2010
On October 22, the birthday of Larissa
Yudina, Editor-in-Chief of Sovietskaya Kalmykia newspaper,
murdered in July 1998, the YABLOKO party will conduct
a party in her memory. The party is devoted not only
to Larissa Yudina, but to all the journalists who
died implementing their work...
|
| The
murder of Larissa Yudina is still uninvestigated
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
October 22, 2010
Today our friend, journalist and editor
of the Sovetskaya Kalmykia Today paper Larisa Yudina
would have turned 65.
She was killed on June 7, 1998. The
perpetrators and the organiser of this murder –
S.Vaskin who had had several criminal records and
served as Legal Advisor to the President of Kalmykia
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, were found and convicted.
However, the person who ordered the
murder has not been named yet, in spite of the fact
that the investigation knows his name...
|
| 
Investigation
of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya should be boosted
Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman.
October 7, 2010.
The Russian United Democratic Party
YABLOKO demands to boost investigation of the murder
of journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya.
There is much chance to efficiently
investigate this case.
The investigation produced some results,
however, it has not moved any further for a long time.
We think that this happens first of
all due to the lack of political will to complete
the investigation, i.e. to find those who ordered
the murder... |
| Who
wanted to kill journalist Mikhail Beketov
Press Release, September 14,
2010.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
continues to insist that "Governor of the Moscow
region Boris Gromov bears the political responsibility
for everything happening in the Moscow region, including
the situation with crime, which allows [criminals]
to attempt lives of public figures"...
Governor of the Moscow region Boris
Gromov applied to court stating that Mitrokhin’s
speech at rally on November 16, 2009, on the anniversary
of the attack against Beketov. Mitrokhin’s speech
appeared at YouTube and was also published at YABLOKO’s
web-site. The Governor of the
Moscow region demanded compensation of moral damages
amounting to RUR 500,000, however, the court cut this
amount to RUR 20,000 (approx. USD 670)...
|
|
YABLOKO
made parliaments of Mordovia and Karachayevo-Cherkessia
publish draft laws
Press Release, September 7,
2010.
Public Prosecutors of Mordovia and
Karachayevo-Cherkessia submitted their orders to the
parliaments of these republics requiring them to eliminate
violations of the law "On Ensuring Public Access
to Information About the Activities of State Bodies".
From now on the parliaments of the republics are obliged
to publish draft laws at their official websites.
In July, the Yabloko party forwarded
to the Public Prosecutor General a list of the 29
regions violating the federal law, which from this
year requires from the legislative assemblies to publish
the draft laws in the Internet. YABLOKO’s activists
say that publication of draft laws "is important
for public control over the laws to be adopted"...
|
|
YABLOKO
conducted a picket in support of deputy of the Tula
City Duma
Press Release, September 7,
2010.
YABLOKO conducted a picket by representation
of the Tula region in Moscow in support of deputy
of the Tula City Duma from the YABLOKO party Vladimir
Timakov. A criminal case was filed against Timakov
for his criticism of the Governor of the Tula region
Vyacheslav Dudka (“The Governor is responsible
for the rise of corruption in the region”).
It should be noted that, in accordance with Russian
law, libel cases may be filed either within the criminal
or the civil process. However, all the recent cases
against journalists or dissenting people who dared
to criticize the officials were raised within criminal
process...
Vladimir Timakov is the only politician
in the Tula region who dared to criticize the Governor.
Timakov laid the blame for record high corruption
in the region on Governor Dudka.
Timakov was already found guilty in
two civil trials. He was also fined RUR 1.5 mln (approx.
USD 500,000) for the moral damage to the Governor.
The possessions in the flat where Timakov’s
family lives (he has several children) is sequestered
for the debt. The list of such property includes a
fridge, a washing machine, books, icons, children’s
furniture. Timakov also faces up to three years of
imprisonment.
|
|
Presentation
of the book “Yuri Schekochikhin. Three Epochs
of Russian Journalism” took place in Moscow
Press Release, September 6,
2010.
The Faculty of Journalism of the Moscow
State University (MGU) and the Russian Journalists’
Union invite you to the presentation of the book “Yuri
Schekochikhin. Three Epochs of Russian Journalism”
(by Mediamir publishing house). The presentation will
take place in the Marble Hall of the Central House
of Journalist on Friday, September 3, at 5 p.m.
Yuri Schekochikhin, member of the
YABLOKO party and MP, was one of the pillars of Russia’s
investigative journalism. He was murdered in 2003...
|
|
Presentation
of the book “Yuri Schekochikhin. Three Epochs
of Russian Journalism”
Press Release, September 3,
2010.
The Faculty of Journalism of the Moscow
State University (MGU) and the Russian Journalists’
Union invite you to the presentation of the book “Yuri
Schekochikhin. Three Epochs of Russian Journalism”
(by Mediamir publishing house). The presentation will
take place in the Marble Hall of the Central House
of Journalist on Friday, September 3, at 5 p.m.
Yuri Schekochikhin, member of the
YABLOKO party and MP, was one of the pillars of Russia’s
investigative journalism. He was murdered in 2003.
The book contains collection of Yuri
Schekochikhin’s articles from Komsomolskaya
Pravda (1970s), Literatunaya gazeta (1980s and early
1990s) and Novaya Gazeta (1996-2003). The book will
be presented by a legend of Russian journalism, President
of the Journalist Faculty of the Moscow State University
Yasen Zasursky and Chair of the Journalists’
Union Vsevolod Bogdanov.YABLOKO’s
Chair Sergei Mitrokhin, YABLOKO’s founder and
member of Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky, and
Executive Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee
Galina Mikhaloyva will participate in the presentation.
Address: Arbatskaya metro station, Nikitsky Boulvard
8A
|
|
We
demand to stop unlawful detentions and toughening
of sentences!
Statement by YABLOKO’s Chairman, August 26, 2010.
The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses
its categorical protest in connection with a court’s
sentence to renowned human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov.
This sentence is another example demonstrating the
use of force when citizens try to realise their constitutional
rights. Grave violations of the law and the use of
force in detentions and fraudulent evidence in trials
have become an everyday practice for the interior.
The courts acting in Stalin’s style are guided by
the idea that the law enforcement are always right
and protesting or dissenting citizens are necessarily
criminals.
|
|
Tula
City Duma deputy persecuted for his criticism of the
Governor’s work
Statement by the Tula branch
of YABLOKO, July 15, 2010.
The Tula regional branch of the YABLOKO
party expresses its deep concern with criminal prosecution
of deputy of the Tula City Duma from our party Vladimir
TImakov [launched under a pretext of a libel case].
Timakov gave his assessment of the
Governor’s work at his post.
Actually Timakov’s statements
are based on his believes, and, in our view, there
are no grounds for criminal prosecution in our opinion
no. The fact that the Investigation Committee with
the Public Prosecutor's Office in the Tula region
three times refused [the Governor] in launching a
criminal case for the lack of the elements of crime
[in such criticism] is one more proof of this.
In our opinion, this constitutes a
demonstrative political "bashing" of a dissenting
oppositional politician and journalist so that to
force him stop his activities and give up his believes...
|
|
Investigation
of Yuri Schekochikhin’s death should go on
Statement by the YABLOKO party.
July 3, 2010.
July 3 marks seven years since the
death of an outstanding journalist and fighter against
corruption Yuri Schekochikhin.
On this day the Russian United Democratic
Party YABLOKO considers it necessary to remind to
Russia’s leadership that the circumstances of
the death of Yuri Schekochikhin have not been determined.
The decision on termination of the
investigation adopted by the Investigation Committee
of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in 2009 demonstrates
inability or lack of desire of the present Russian
state to conduct a full-fledged investigation...
|
|
Oppositional
journalist’s house burnt in the Saratov region
Press Release, June 17, 2010.
The house of Editor-in-Chief of the
Ogni Povolzhiya (Lights of the Volga) newspaper and
member of the Regional Council of the Saratov branch
of YABLOKO Salimzhan Gaisin was burned on the night
of June 15. His daughter and son in law and their
two children managed to get out of the burning house.
A newly built house and an adjacent old building completely
burt out. YABLOKO expresses support of the colleague
and considers this accident as obviously of criminal
nature.
“We connect this not only with
the journalistic activity, but also with a pro-active
attitude and human rights activities by Salimzhan
Gaisin, who conducted numerous anti-corruption investigations,
revealed facts of abuse of power by local officials
and identified numerous violations of election law,”
runs the statement by the Bureau of the Saratov branch
of YABLOKO...
|
|
Action
“Preventing Extremism” brutally broken
by police
Press Release, June 11, 2010.
Video, photos.
Action against introduction of amendments
on the law on the Federal Security Service (the former
KGB), which YABLOKO attempted to hold today by the
building of the State Duma (the Russian Parliament)
was brutally broken by police. Despite of the fact
that it was a one-person picketing (four activists
had to replace each other in turn) and did not require
any permissions or notifications from the authorities,
four YABLOKO’s activists were arrested and taken
to the local police department and a placard depicting
the head of KGB Felix Dzerzhinsky, the closest accomplice
of Stalin in setting terror in the country Lavrenty
Beria, and Vladimir Putin and bearing a the words
"The KGB people vote FOR it!" was confiscated.
On June 11, at 9.30 am, half an hour
before the plenary session the Russian parliament
had to start, First Deputy Chair of the Moscow Yabloko
Galina Mikhalyova took her place by the main entrance
to the parliament building with a placard depicting
Felix Dzerzhinsky, Lavrenty Beria and Vladimir Putin
against a black ground and a hand voting for them.
“The law on preventing extremism. The KGB people
vote FOR it!" ran the slogan under the picture.
The Russian parliament will discuss this draft law
in the first reading today...
|
|
Yekaterinburg
Mayor tries to get RUR 600,000 from deputy of the
Yekaterinburg Duma Petlin as compensation for criticism
Press Release. May 19, 2010
On May 17 deputy of the Yekaterinburg
Duma Maxim Petlin received a notification from one
of the district courts of Yekaterinburg that Mayor
Chernetsky filed a protest on the court decision on
the libel case (case No 2-134). Earlier the court
had turned down the libel suit by Mayor Chernetsky
to Maxim Petlin and television channel Russia which
broadcasted Petlin’s critical statement about
the situation with kindergartens in the city. The
court also had charged the Mayor RUR 20,000 (about
USD 700) for compensation of the legal costs incurred
by Maxim Petlin... |
|
Youth
YABLOKO conducted a flash mob under the slogan “We
Do not Need Such Television!”
May 12, 2010
On May 12, the Youth YABLOKO organisation
conducted a flash mob by the Ostankino TV centre under
the slogan “We Do not Need Such Television!”
Four young activists brought a TV
set to the entrance of Ostankino centre and placards
“For the Freedom of Speech!”, “For Independent Media!”.
Then young people broke the TV set shouting “Putin,
change the format!” and “We are tired of TV brainwashing!”... |
|
On
political reprisals against The New Times
Statement of the YABLOKO party, April 15, 2010
The Russian United Democratic Party
YABLOKO expresses its support to The New Times magazine
in connection with an attempt of the law enforcement
to conduct unlawful inspection of documents in the
editing house. We think that these actions represent
an act of punitive censorship which has to produce
a chilling effect on Russian journalists in case they
wish to publish articles inconvenient to top military
and police officials.
We hope that this event will not interfere
with functioning of the editorial house and conducting
of serious journalist investigations by the magazine...
|
|
The
leader of Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO wins the libel
case initiated by Yekaterinburg Mayor
Press Release, April 2, 2010
Today, on April 2, Yekaterinburg district
court turned down the libel claim motioned by the
city Mayor Arkady Chernetsky against deputy of the
city Duma and leader of the local branch of YABLOKO
Maxim Petlin. The court charged the Mayor RUR 20,000
(about USD 700) for compensation of the legal costs
incurred by Maxim Petlin.
Chernetsky started a legal case against Petlin after
the latter said in the TV programme that Chernetsky
had “sold half of kindergartens buildings”.
The Mayor called this phrase a libel and motioned
a libel case against Petlin. The second defender in
the court was Rossiya television channel which had
broadcasted Petlin’s interview and showed an
item on alienation of large number of kindergartens
in favour of Chernetsky’s family members... |
|
Criminal
persecution against three activists of the Youth YABLOKO
in Omsk
Press Release. March 19, 2010
Three activists of the Omsk Youth
YABLOKO organisation arrested at night of March 18
are have been still detained. The Main Interior Department
informs that they are accused of vandalism, however,
the local police department which is detaining the
activists denies this and promises to release the
activists soon.
An annual action in support of freedom
of speech in Belarus has been held at night March
18 – 19. This is a part of international campaign
European Youth Against the Belarus Dictatorship. The
participants of the performance gag statues with banners
saying “Freedom to Belarus!”
Omsk YABLOKO activists Anton Zhebrun,
Mikhail Maglov and Andrei Yermilov were arrested by
police when they were gaging a Dostoyevsky statue.
They were escorted to the local police department
Centralnoye, where they were kept the whole night
without water and food. Anton Zhebrun had a heart
attack, the police called an ambulance. However, the
policemen did not allow the young people to make calls
via their mobile phones... |
|
Governor
Gromov motions a libel suit against Sergei Mitrokhin
Press Release, February 1,
2010
Governor of the Moscow Region Boris
Gromov motioned a libel suit against YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin who had laid blame for a physical
attack on Editor-in-Chief of Khimskinskaya Pravda
oppositional paper Mikhail Beketov. The official claims
compensation of RUR 500,000 (about USD 16,600) for
the moral damage.
Sergei Mitrokhin stated that the party
had grounds to think that “Administration of
the Khimki city district and personally Head of Administration
Strelchenko supported by Governor Gromov are behind
this crime” during an action held on November
16, 2009 one year after the attack. A
video record of Sergei Mitrokhin’s speech published
at YABLOKO’s web-site was used by the Governor
as an evidence of libel.
On November 13, 2008, Editor-in-Chief
of Khimskinskaya Pravda oppositional paper Mikhail
Beketov who had been opposing the construction of
a paid highway Moscow – St.Petersburg, was found
unconscious in the yard of his house. Doctors stated
a severe head injury, multiple factions and injuries.
Despite treatment Beketov remains a handicapped –
he can not take care of himself and his speech functions
have not restored. The action in support of Beketov
was held under the slogans “Attack on Beketov
Is an Attack on the Freedom of Speech” and “Attack
on Beketov Is Political Terror”.
|
|
The
staff of the Government of the Moscow Region interferes
with YABLOKO’s picketing
Press Release, January 28,
2010
The staff of the Government of the
Moscow Region interfered with YABLOKO’s one-man
picketing in front of their building. YABLOKO protests
against virtual introduction of a ban on one-man pickets
which has been initiated by the Moscow Region Duma.
The parliament of the Moscow Region
submitted to the State Duma a draft law stipulating
that one-man pickets (in addition to demonstrations,
rallies and group pickets) should be not only coordinated
with the authorities but organisers of such pickets
should also submit the plan and schedule of such picketing.
Activists of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO call
one-man picketing the only form of street protest
which has been available, as normally the authorities
ban rallies and pickets with a large number of participants
under faked pretexts.
|
|
Ekaterinburg’s
Mayor suits the leader of the regional YABLOKO branch
Press Release, January 27,
2010
Ekaterinburg’s Mayor Arkady Chernetsky
set in motion a lawsuit against deputy of the city
Duma and leader of the regional YABLOKO branch Maxim
Petlin.
The Mayor began a defamation case
stating that Maxim Petlin had libeled against him
at TV programme Vesti. The Mayor assessed his moral
damage at RUR 600,000 (approximately USD 20,000) which
makes 30 per cent of his official annual income amounting
to RUR 1,700,000.
“Once Chernetsky sold out half of
all the kindergartens buildings in Ekaterinburg,”
Petlin said at the Vesti programme. The Mayor considered
this statement be a libel.
However, explaining this situation
Chernetsky told to the anchor of the Studio 41 TV
programme that he had sold “only three kindergartens”.
Other had been transferred to different companies
and entities “free of charge”. |
|
Assessment
of Russia’s Present Political System and the
Principles of Its Development. Brief note for
the State Council meeting (January 22, 2010) by Dr.Grigory
Yavlinsky, member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee.
January 22,
2010
...In the absence of serious attention
to the raise of political culture and freedom of speech,
elections in our country will become a fest of demagogues
and populists killing the system.
The main problems and goals of the
society and the state in the field of creation of
modern political system and political reform do not
represent a mere correction, they mean bringing of
life and sense into Russian politics.
Only in this case it will be of interest
for the people and will be worthy of their attention.
To achieve this we should first of all raise the level
of public consciousness and open opportunities for
public participation in the power and politics.
We think that to prevent dissolution
of the Russian political system in 2010 – 2012
we need to undertake the following gradual but nonetheless
decisive steps...
|
|
Brief
Outline of Sergei Mitrokhin’s Report at the
State Council meeting
January 22, 2010
The key problem of Russia’s
political system is monopolism which manifests itself
in three major ways:
1) bodies of power and parliaments
of all levels demonstrate monopoly of one party representing
the interests of bureaucracy and large-scale business
merged with it;
2) complete dominance of the executive over the judicial
authority;
3) dictate of one social class – the bureaucracy
– over all other social groups.
Thus, the present political system generally reproduces
the Soviet system, with its key flaw – the monopoly
of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on power.
Such monopoly led to the insensibility of the political
system of the USSR to the challenges of the time.
Attempts to reform the system were considerably belated
and that, consequently, led to a collapse of the USSR. |
| Member
of St.Petersburg YABLOKO branch Ekaterina Kolesova
gets Artyom Borovik prize
Press Release, December 1,
2009
Member of St.Petersburg YABLOKO organisation
Ekaterina Kolesova was awarded Artyom Borovik prize.
This prize is awarded for achievements in the field
of independent journalism and journalistic investigations.
Kolesova obtained her prize for the
series of articles devoted to journalistic investigations
in St.Petersburg’s Novaya Gazeta. “Everyone
heard about the Major Yevsyukov case (Ed. the police
officer who shot people in a large department store
just because he allegedly “felt upset”,
the head of the Moscow Police tried to protect Yevsyukov
and was dismissed only after loud public discontent),
we had had such case as early as in 2001: a policeman
shot students”, Kolesova says. |
| YABLOKO
asks the President to preserve the Sport television
channel
Press release, November 9,
2009
Two members of the Youth Chamber at
the Moscow City Duma – deputy head of the Moscow
branch of YABLOKO Ivan Bolshakov and member of the
Regional Council Alexander Gnezdilov – forwarded
to President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev an address
with a request to interfere into the situation around
closing of the Sport television channel.
The All-Russia Sate Television and
Radio Corporation (VGTRK) adopted a decision to close
the nation-wide Sport Channel from January 2010 replacing
it by a national TV channel Russiya-2. |
|
Information Services at the Ren-TV and the Fifth television
channels should be maintained
Statement of the YABLOKO party,
October 23, 2009
The YABLOKO party expresses its concern
with the information on liquidation of professional
news services of the Ren-TV and the Fifth television
channels. We consider maintenance of such services
extremely important for the Russian society.
The prospects of liquidation of such
services and their subordination to one of the state
propaganda factories cause much concern especially
in the situation of grave mass-scale election fraud
on October 11. The Russian citizens were first deprived
of elections and then there were announced plans to
deprive them of the television news that could tell
the truth about this and other events.
We assess such plans as an attempt
to finally oust freedom of speech from the Russian
television and introduce total censorship there.
Any references to business motives
in elimination of the last independent television
news services resemble the argumentation of the “dispute
of the economic entities” covering the mopping
up of the [independent] NTV channel in 2001. |
| Rally
in memory of Anna Politkovskaya took place in Moscow
Press Release, October 7,
2009
A rally in memory of Anna Politkovskaya,
journalist of the oppositional Novaya Gazeta newspaper,
gathered about 300 people in Moscow on October 7.
Dmitry Muratov, Editor-in Chief of
Novaya Gazeta, told that Muscovites brought many flowers,
books, messages to Anna’s tomb. He also paid
tribute to the memory of journalists and human rights
activists murdered in the past years, as well as those
suffering persecutions from the authorities. “I
am absolutely sure, that there will come time, when
a monument to Natasha Estemirova will be erected in
the centre of Grozny, and a monument to Anna Politkovskaya
in Moscow,” he said.
Ludmila Alexeyeva, head of the Moscow
Helsinki Group, thanked all who came to the rally
to express their tribute to Anna. “As the killers
were not found and were not even condemned by those
people who are in power now, it is we who condemn
them,” she said. |
| Sverdlovsk
Youth YABLOKO conducted an action in protection of
the freedom of speech
Press Release, October 7,
2009
On October 7 Sverdlovsk Youth YABLOKO
organisation conducted an action in protection of
the freedom of speech. A picket under slogan “Silence!
Or you’ll be killed?” was conducted by the regional
Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Young YABLOKO’s activists informed
the citizens of the situation with the freedom of
speech in Russia illustrating it with a leaflet “Their
words cost their lives” - a sad list of journalists
murdered since 1993.
On the anniversary of the tragic death
of Anna Politkvskaya the Youth YABLOKO and Ekaterinburg
Memorial branch conducted a memory action paying tribute
to Anna. |
| Action
in memory of Anna Politkovskaya took place in Murmansk
Press Release, October 8,
2009
On October 7, activists from the Murmansk
branch of YABLOKO conducted a picket in protection
of independent media and paying tribute to Anna Politkovskaya
murdered three years ago. Representatives of Murmansk
youth organisations joined YABLOKO in the picket.
However, it was very difficult to
obtain a permission on the picket from the local authorities.
Several times the police sent notifications that the
action can not be allowed referring to the orders
of the Mayor of the city and the local interior head.
Finally the authorities had to yield to YABLOKO’s
demands and gave the permission for the action. |
| Youth
organisation of YABLOKO to conduct actions in memory
of Anna Politkovskaya and for protection of freedom
of speech
Press Release, October 6,
2009
On October 7, 2009, it will be three
years since death of renowned journalist and human
rights activist Anna Politkovskaya. Nation-wide actions
in memory of Anna Politkovskaya and in protection
of freedom of speech will take place on the initiative
of the Youth YABLOKO.
YABLOKO’s activists will conduct actions by
Public Prosecutor offices in different Russian regions
under the slogan “Silence! Or you’ll be
killed?” They will distribute leaflets informing
on the situation with freedom of speech in Russia
and calling to stop and investigate murders of journalists.
Actions in memory of Anna Politkovskaya will take
place in different regions. People will light candles
and lay flowers to photographs of Anna. |
Investigation
of the Fact of Censorship to Be Continued
May 27, 2009
Chairman of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin received
an answer from the Department of the Federal Service
for Control in the Field of Mass Communications in
the Saratov Region on Mitrokhin’s application asking
to give an assessment to the fact when Saratov GTRK
television company used shades to conceal YABLOKO’s
emblem in its report about YABLOKO’s picketing in
support of a director of a television company who
had been severely attacked. |
Only
truth can be set against distortion of history
Press Release, May 27, 2009
A draft statement was submitted by Grigory Yavlinsky
with due account of proposals made by Sergei Mitrokhin,
Alexei Yablokov, Boris Misnik, Viktor Sheinis and
Galina Mikhalyova. |
|
YABLOKO
applies to the Public Prosecutor and the Central Electoral
Commission on libel in the mass media
Press release, December 1, 2003
...against Leonid Mayevsky who in his comments on
the Ekho Moskvi radio station deliberately disseminated
false information defaming the leaders and members
of YABLOKO.
The
State Duma will consider the address to the heads
of the First [Television] Channel and VGTRK [television
company] on broadcasting live forthcoming parliamentary
election debates.
Press release, October 16, 2003
On Thursday the State Duma Council passed a decision
to include this item on the Duma agenda. The address
was initiated by Sergei Ivanenko and Sergei Mitrokhin.
YABLOKO
opposes transformation of the TVS channel into a state-owned
company
Press release, April 16, 2003
Such a step will lead to a monopoly on the information
transmitted to Russia’s citizens. It is especially
dangerous on the threshold of the parliamentary and
presidential elections, when television is transformed
into the main source of information on the competing
political forces.
Chairman
of the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO Grigory Yavlinsky
thinks that the President of Russia Vladimir Putin
"took absolutely the right decision", vetoing
the amendments to the law "On the Mass Media"
that imposed constraints on journalists reporting
on the emergencies. "This is an independent and
absolutely correct decision," said Yavlinsky.
Press Release, November 25, 2002
At the same time Yavlinsky stressed that "the
issue of fighting for the freedom of speech is not
over yet, and much work lies ahead." Speaking
about subsequent work on amendments in the conciliatory
commission, the leader of YABLOKO told journalists
that "we shall do all we can to ensure that the
most odious provisions are removed from the draft
law."
The
faction considers the cuts made to the "Freedom of
Speech" programme (the NTV channel) for a broadcast
on December 27, 2002, to be manifestation of political
censorship.
Press Release, December 28, 2002
The faction considers the cuts made to the "Freedom
of Speech" programme (the NTV channel) for a broadcast
on December 27, 2002, to be manifestation of political
censorship. Fragments containing criticism of the
government's actions and pro-governmental factions
of the State Duma made by Chairman of the Duma Committee
for Education and Science and member of the YABLOKO
faction Alexander Shishlov were cut out of the programme.
Deputy
of the Duma Sergei Mitrokhin: the amendments to the
law "On the Mass Media" are an instrument
to be used to suppress disobedient media
Press Release, November 1, 2002
Deputy of the Duma Sergei Mitrokhin considers the
adoption by the State Duma in the third reading of
the amendments to the law "On the Mass Media"
on November 1, 2002, represents an attempt to restrict
freedom of speech. According to the new version of
the law, journalist rights to report on the anti-terror
operations conducted by the Russian authorities have
to a large extent been curtailed.
Deputy
of the State Duma Valery Ostanin: the theatre cannot
be stored, as there are hundreds of hostages
Press Release, October 24, 2002
The theatre cannot be stormed, as there are hundreds
of hostages says deputy of the State Duma and member
of the Security Committee of the State Duma Valery
Ostanin. According to Ostanin, a careful "jeweller's
operation" is required here, as the lives of
many people now depend on the professionalism of the
security services.
The
court has satisfied the libel suit filed by the leader
of the YABLOKO party Grigory Yavlinsky against APN
Agency of Political News
Press Release July 10, 2002
Zamoskvoretsky Intermunicipal Court
of Moscow satisfied the libel suit filed by the Chairman
of the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO Grigory Yavlinsky
against the Internet Agency of Political News (APN).
The
court recognised the information spread by the Noviy
Peterburg newspaper about Grigory Yavlinsky and YABLOKO
to be libel
Press Release July 3, 2002
Dzerzhinsky Federal Court of the Central District
of St.Petersburg satisfied the libel action filed
by the Chairman of the Russian democratic Party YABLOKO
Grigory Yavlinsky against the Noviy Peterburg newspaper.
YABLOKO
leader doubts the accuracy of public opinion poll
on introducing censorship in the media
Press Release, May 30, 2002
Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the YABLOKO
party, is against the introduction of political censorship
in the media and stamps as "distorted" the
data of a recent public opinion poll on introducing
censorship.
The
State Duma continues its onslaught on the freedom
of the press
Press Release, April 3, 2002
On April 3 2002 the State Duma adopted
at second reading a draft law on additions and amendments
to the law "On the Mass Media" by 251 votes
(against a required minimum of 226 votes).
Roll-call
Voting in the State Duma for adoption of the federal
law "On Addenda and Amendments to the Law of
the RF"On the Mass Media" (regarding the
regulations of the names of the media). Second reading.
April 3, 2002
Submitted by: deputies of the State
Duma N.I. Bulayev, K.V. Vyetrov, P.I. Kovalyenko,
V.Ya. Komissarov, I.V. Lyebedyev, B.L. Reznik
Roll-call Voting in the State Duma for adoption
of the federal law "On Addenda and Amendments to the
Law of the RF "On the Mass Media" (regarding the regulations
of the names of the media). Third reading.
April 5, 2002
Judicial reprisal against Novaya Gazeta
newspaper represents another stage of the onslaught
against the free mass media
Press Release, March 6, 2002
"The decisions made over the past week at Basmanny
Intermunicipal Court of Moscow to satisfy the USD
1.5 million demands of the plaintiffs against Novaya
Gazeta is a convenient way of closing a disturbing
newspaper." This was the statement of Sergei
Mitrokhin, deputy of the State Duma from the Yabloko
faction and Deputy Chairman of the YABLOKO party on
the situation around Novaya Gazeta.
All-Russia Democratic Assembly
3rd meeting
Declaration on Freedom of Speech,
February 18, 2002
The All-Russia Democratic Assembly states absence
of freedom of speech in Russia.
The Democratic Assembly will discuss
freedom of speech in Russia in January 2002
Press release, December
03, 2001
The discussion of freedom of speech
in Russia will be the main topic of the All-Russia
Democratic Assembly that will meet in Moscow in the
second half of January 2002.
Sergei Ivanenko advocates revocation
of one of the norms of the Russian bankruptcy law
Press release, November 27, 2001
"Since January 1 we in the State Duma repeal
the provision in the law which stipulates that minority
shareholders may propose the liquidation of a company,"
noted Ivanenko on Tuesday 27, 2001 in an interview
with the NTV channel.
Sergei Ivanenko sharply criticises
the situation around the TV-6 channel
Press release, November 27, 2001
“I think this represents a continuation of the policies
aimed at depriving our society of the chance to receive
independent information,” said Sergei Ivanenko in
an interview with journalists on Tuesday November
27, 2001.
On Monday October 22, 2001,
a ceremony of granting awards to the winners and laureates
of the All-Russia Contest of Regional Journalists
"Against All Odds" took place in Moscow
Press release, October 22, 2001
The leaders of the SPS and Yabloko
advocate strengthening privately-owned mass media
Press Release, May
3, 2001
The leaders of the right-wing
factions of the State Duma (the SPS and Yabloko) noted
that the release by the International Committee for
Protection of Journalists of a list of the leaders
of states regarded as opponents of mass media on the
International Day of a Free Press (on May 3) had a
negative impact for Russia. |
| Publications |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin: a sad anniversary – 10 years since
establishing of state control over the private NTV
television channel. April
14, 2011.
Ten years have passed
since ruining of the private independent television
channel and dissolution of the team of 1journalists
who had been showing to the country every day how
important the profession of a journalist is for the
society and freedom of speech. On April 14, 2001,
the management of the NTV channel was completely changed.
And virtually from this moment censorship has been
widely exercised in Russia...
See also: the
NTV case |
| Participation
in peaceful demonstrations a human right
ELDR Press Release,
April 15, 2011.
...Earlier this week Sergei Mitrokhin,
leader of ELDR member party, Yabloko, was arrested
and detained by police for taking part in a protest
to demand the closure of a cement plant in the Pechatniki
district of Moscow. The plant is situated in close
proximity to a residential area and is considered
a health concern for local residents.
Yabloko applied for permission to
conduct a peaceful protest at the plant, but the local
authorities delayed, beyond the legal limit, a response
to the application and even though permission was
eventually granted, Yabloko activists were prevented
from holding their protest and Mitrokhin was arrested
by police...
European Liberal Democrats are the
strongest supporters of human rights and the rule
of law and consider these values to be fundamental
to the future relationship between the EU and Russia.
Stopping peaceful demonstrations contravenes an essential
human right and this is a worrying sign, particularly
in view of upcoming parliamentary elections to be
held in Russia later this year.
|
| YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin detained at picket
LI News Bulletin, Issue 228, April 14, 2011
Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of LI full
member YABLOKO, was arrested at a peaceful picket
in Moscow yesterday (13 April). Yabloko activists
were demonstrating against a cement plant, demanding
the authorities to close it down, as it poses a health
risk to nearby residents. Despite YABLOKO having applied
for permission to picket, police arrived at the scene
claiming that YABLOKO lacked a valid permission. Following
his arrest, Mr Mitrohkin was detained for more than
3 hours. Commenting on the events to LI news, Mitrohkin
says: 'Such detentions of people coming to legal and
permitted rallies and pickets have already formed
a dangerous trend in Russia: we often witness unmotivated
police violence in breaking peaceful rallies or pickets,
filing of criminal cases against people who dare to
criticise the governments or administrations or defend
their civil rights. All this means further curbing
of the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in
contrast to loud statements made by Russian top officials.'
Sergei Mitrokhin now has to appear in court accused
of participating in an unsanctioned picket.
MORE
LI
President: "Now it is time to give Ouattara and
the Ivoirians chance to rebuild their country"
Van Baalen: “The [Arab] democrats should be
supported without red tape – now”
Sam Rainsy meets with liberals across Scandinavia
“The DA gets rid of corrupt politicians”,
Zille tells voters in Johannesburg
Ignatieff impresses after English/French Debates
ALDE-PACE: Religious dimension of intercultural dialogue
debated in Strasbourg
|
| Yabloko
condemns attack on Russian journalist
Liberal International News
Bulletin. Issue 209. November 18, 2010.
After Russian journalist for the Kommersant newspaper,
Oleg Kashin was severely beaten outside his home in
Moscow on 6 November, LI full member YABLOKO has issued
a press statement condemning the attacks and demanding
that authorities launch investigations into the attack:
“The YABLOKO party states that it is ready to
participate in an independent investigation of the
circumstances of this crime and render all possible
assistance as well as human and organizational resources
to Editor-in-Chief Mikhail Mikhailin and the team
of the Kommersant paper.” YABLOKO leaders also
picketed outside the Moscow Interior Office with other
journalists and political activists to demand investigative
action. Mr. Kashin's editor said that the attacks
were retribution for articles he had recently written
covering anti-Kremlin protests and extremist rallies
against the building of a highway through Khimki forest
outside Moscow which has now been put on hold by the
government. Attacks on journalists are not uncommon
in Russia. Human rights groups say there have been
19 unsolved murders of journalists since 2000 and
that investigations into attacks lead nowhere.
MORE
185th
LI Executive Committee meets in Cape Town
LI President meets with representatives of the Democratic
Party of Japan
Africa Liberal Network holds General Assembly
Released opposition leader calls for change in Burma
Tim Farron elected LibDem Party President
Congolese UREC and ANADER sign alliance agreement
British author jailed in Singapore for defamation
ALDE calls on Lithuanian authorities to respect freedom
of expression and assembly
|
| Country
report on Russia by Sergei Mitrokhin.
Executive Committee of Liberal
International. Cape Town, November 13, 2010
It has become increasingly dangerous
to state one’s position in Russia. For the past
week civil activist Konstantin Fektistov and journalist
Oleg Kashin were beaten almost to death and severely
injured. Such crimes become
more frequent, as they go unpunished. Murders of well-known
journalist Anna Politkovskaya, lawyer Stanislav Markelov
and human rights activist Natalia Estemirova are still
uninvestigated.
For the past years our party YABLOKO
lost several our friends and colleagues – journalists
and human rights activists Larissa Yudina, Yuri Schekochikhin
and Farid Babayev. These crimes are still uninvestigated.
The fact that crimes against politicians, journalists
and human rights activists are unpunished gives rise
to new crimes.
The Russian authorities are unable
to ensure implementation of laws in the country. But
they widely practice arbitrary use of law as an instrument
for protection of their political and economic interests...
|
|
Russian
and European Integration
Speech by Sergei Mitrokhin
Liberal International Executive Committee
Berlin, June 11, 2010
Announcing a policy towards modernisation
in Russia President of Russia put himself in line
with a number of Russian rulers-reformers who aspired
to perform radical transformations in the country.
Some specific traits of this policy resemble those
of his predecessors. The President understands modernisation
primarily as acceleration of scientific and technological
development. With some reservations about the need
for political reform, the latter look like a number
of quite shallow and very systematic activities...
|
|
Journalist
and YABLOKO member Yuri Schekochikhin would have turned
60 today…
Grigory Yavlinsky’s letter
to Vsevolod Bogdanov, Chair of Russia’s Journalists
Union, June 9, 2010.
Yuri Schekochikhin is an event in
the lives of all of us, an event both in our journalism
and in politics. Whatever he did - wrote play scripts,
engaged in journalist investigation or worked as a
Russian parliament member – all was very different
from how other people did this, all had an imprint
of his personality, talent and his understanding of
freedom and justice.
Yuri Petrovich was not merely a politician
in the ordinary sense or the word, he understood life
as the one who had the ability to transform it. A
special atmosphere always emerged around him, and
there was place for different people by his side.
And he still unites us all, we do not simply keep
memories of him, but feel his presence in our life.
Yuri Schekochikhin has always been
and remains our friend.
Sincerely,
Grigory Yavlinsky |
|
YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin sharply criticises the campaign
launched by the Nashi movement against journalist
Alexander Podrabinek
Interfax, October 1, 2009
Leader of the YABLOKO party Sergei
Mitrokhin sharply criticized the actions of the Nashi
movement against journalist and human rights activist
Alexander Podrabinek.
“Mobbing of Alexander Podrabinek organized by
the Nashi movement and accompanied by bullying calls
that he should leave Russia is disgusting, and considering
the present Russian situation is even dangerous,”
Sergei Mitrokhin told Interfax on Thursday.
According to Mitrokhin, “a broad-scale hatred
campaign was organised against a citizen of Russia.” |
| On
infringement of freedom of speech in the Republic
of Karachayevo-Cherkessia
Statement of the Karachayevo-Cherkessian
branch of the YABLOKO party, September 11, 2009
Everywhere and everyday, almost every
hour speakers from television screens assure Russian
citizens that freedom of press and freedom to speak
openly without fear is the greatest achievement of
democracy. And they say that in the sake of this freedom
we should endure everything: growth of food-stuffs
prices, skyrocketing communal services tariffs, rise
of unemployment, growth of crime, as well as drug
and alcohol addiction. However, where is the freedom
which costs us so much?
The recent developments around official
printed media in Karachayevo-Cherkessia demonstrate
that we don’t have freedom of press in our Republic
and are unlikely to have it until the governments
realise that newspapers and other media are not a
toy. |
Ilya
Klebanov Have to Resign
Statement. June 4, 2009
The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO finds the statement
of Presidential Envoy in the Northwestern Federal
District Ilya Klebanov when he addressed journalist
Alexei Makhlov incompatible with his high post. |
Accusations
against organisers of the exhibition “Prohibited Art
– 2006 ” represent a recurrence of Stalinism
Statement , May 29, 2009
YABLOKO is calling to stop criminal action against
Yuri Samodurov, Director of the Sakharov Centre, and
Andrei Yerofeyev, fines art expert. Accusations in
arousing hatred and religious strife for organisation
of a fine arts exhibition are not merely absurd, but
even dangerous in the 21st century. |
|
On
the murder of journalist Paul Khlebnikov
The Russian Democratic Party "YABLOKO", Statement,
July 12, 2004
The Russian Democratic Party "YABLOKO" expresses
its condolences to the family and friends of journalist
Paul Khlebnikov who was murdered by contract killers
in Moscow.
We demand a rapid and effective investigation of this
crime by the authorities and that its executors and
people behind the attack be found and punished.
On
the closure of the programme "Svoboda Slova" or "Freedom
of speech" on NTV
The Russian Democratic Party "YABLOKO",
Statement, Press service, Jule 8, 2004
The Russian Democratic Party "YABLOKO" considers
creeping reduction in freedom of speech in Russia
an attempt to undermine one of the fundamental tenets
of the Constitution and declares its determination
to counteract the introduction of censorship in the
domestic mass media.
On
the closure of the NTV correspondents' office in Belarus
Statement, The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO, July
8, 2003
The closure of the NTV television company correspondents'
office in Belarus represents not only an action targeted
at information isolation of the people of Belarus,
but also another challenge to Russia from Lukashenko's
regime.
YABLOKO
opposes the election campaign repressions introduced
by the Central Electoral Commission
The Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation,
The State Duma of the Russian Federation, The YABLOKO
faction, March 21, 2003
Honest elections are threatened by arbitrary rule
of the authorities rather than the work of journalists.
Mass media reports on election campaign outside of
propaganda materials represent the most important
tool ensuring public control over the actions of bureaucracy.
On
the Threat to Freedom of Speech in Russia
Statement of the Bureau of the Federal Council of
the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO on February 22,
2003.
Violent acts starting in the country in 2000, the
use of the law enforcement agencies as a means to
pressurise journalists and media owners, selective
application of the law, persecution of the opponents
in state-controlled media led to the launch of self-censorship
of the media owners which results in tough censorship
of journalists. |
|
The
Changing Nature of Covering the News
The Moscow Times, September 7, 2004
As a class, information-sharing Duma deputies have
largely been pushed out. They were important because
their status as a federal official gave them access
to official information otherwise out of reach for
the public or the press. Now Putin has a largely rubber-stamp
parliament that rarely raises its voice.
Deputy
Head of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin perceives
political motives behind the criminal case against
the former heads of the Noviye Izvestia newspaper
Ekho Moskvi, August 17, 2004
"We live de facto in a state governed by the
secret services. In the given situation, in view of
recent developments, in particular, the extremely
harsh sentence given to Igor Sutyagin, we cannot trust
any criminal trial against any politician or editor
of an independent media, or individual who expresses
views which differ from those of the authorities,"
noted Mitrokhin.
Russian
Journalism in Search of Professional Ethics
Moscow. (RIA Novosti political commentator Vladimir
Simonov), RIA Novosti, August 6, 2004
It seems that following the downfall of the Soviet
state, the Russian media community did a deal with
Mrs Corruption. And she is aggressively driving out
honest journalism as it tries to remain faithful to
ethical norms.
"Editor-in-Chief
Should Be Branded!" Deputies Decided to Re-Educate
Journalists
By Suzanna Farizova, Kommersant, August 3, 2004
The discussion of issues of journalists' ethics almost
developed into a brawl but the participants were able
to control themselves in time. The session resulted
in a recommendation to journalists that they step
up responsibility "within the creative collectives."
The
Russian Union of Journalists attacks Russian government's
record on media freedom
Ekho Moskvi, August 4, 2004
"Over the last four years, various officials,
starting from the top, have constantly said that journalists
are to blame for everything."
Russia's
State TV Is Mopping up Some Terminology
By Sergey Varshavchik, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August
2, 2004
It is prohibited to pronounce during broadcasting
"Chechnya" (only "the Chechen republic")
and "Kadyrov" (should be pronounced only
"Akhmad-Khadzhi Kadyrov") and not "replacement
of benefits by money" but "monetised benefits",
and not "shahid" but a "shahid belt".
Viktoriya Arutyunova, Adviser to the Chairman of VGTRK
[All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting
Company], commented on the situation for Nezavisimaya
Gazeta...
A
piquet of YABLOKO's youth organisation broken at Lubyanka
square
Gazeta.ru, July 27, 2004; 12:07
Within 30 seconds the militia detained 10 participants
of the action pushing them onto the ground and twisting
their hands. According to the leader of the movement
Ilya Yashin, the detained
activists were taken to the FSB office.
The militia also detained ten journalists and confiscated
films from their cameras.
It
is time for Putin to make up his mind
A complete version of Grigory Yavlinsky's article
published in an abbreviated version in "Forbes", No.
4, July 2004
If you open the newspapers, what are the economic
topics in the headings? Tax problems, social privileges,
GNP rates. However, everybody knows that you can improve
the tax system indefinitely, develop new forms of
mortgages and "mop up" banks, but all other
measures are pointless until you resolve once and
for all, clearly and unequivocally property issues.
A political and legal estimate of privatisation in
the mid-1990s is the main economic issue today. President
Putin should finally make up his mind. Otherwise nothing
will be achieved.
Boris
Berezovsky: I Prefer Nabokov to Klebnikov
An interview with Boris Berezovsky by Yefim Barban,
MN staff writer, MosNews, July 16, 2004
"To be more specific, the murder was the result
of a redistribution of property which is always fraught
with a growing crime rate. Klebnikov wanted, in his
own manner and quite professionally, I believe, to
look into the developments going on in Russia. Of
course, those who initiated the redistribution of
property were not happy about it."
Commentary:
A Possible Link Between The Klebnikov And Shchekochikhin
Murders?
By Andrei Piontkovsky, The Jamestown Foundation -
Eurasia Daily Monitor, July 17, 2004
In the months before his death, Shchekochikhin was
deep into an investigation of the furniture-store
chain Tri Kita (Three Whales), which he revealed to
be controlled by Russian security officials. High-ranking
Federal Security Service (FSB) generals used the chain
to launder tens of millions of dollars, and their
activities extended to the now infamous Bank of New
York, which has been implicated in other schemes.
Klebnikov launched the Russian edition of Forbes magazine
with a sensational debut issue featuring the "100
richest people in Russia." This was actually
a rather dry reiteration of the biographies of the
owners of Russia. However, it dealt a potentially
fatal blow to the myth widely held both in Russia
and the West that Putin's reign has been characterized
by the Kremlin's struggle against Russian's oligarchic
capitalism.
Letter
to foreign journalists working in Russia
Grigory Yavlinsky, www.yavlinsky.ru, July 15, 2004
Paul Khlebnikov was a fearless man. He loved Russia
and believed in its bright and fair future. However,
he mistakenly believed that this future had already
arrived. Please accept my deep condolences concerning
the death of your comrade.
Journalist
Watchdog Urges Putin to Investigate Klebnikov Murder
MosNews, July 16, 2004
"This culture of impunity sends a shocking message
to the world about your indifference to press freedom,
and reassures those who use violence to silence their
critics that they can literally get away with murder,"
Executive Director Ann Cooper said in her letter to
Putin.
No
Unauthorized Access
MosNews, July 13, 2004
Paul Klebnikov worked in a field where access is out
of the question for his Russian colleagues. In the
form of journalistic investigations he presented to
the outer world unofficial data on the relationship
between major Russian businesses and the authorities,
on the actual procedures in accordance with which
property is re-distributed and big money is made in
the country. In other words, he was breaking taboos.
A
Victim of the Rule of Lawlessness
Editorial, The Moscow Times, July 13, 2004
Perhaps we have become too used to the idea that businessmen
need bodyguards, and that those who step on the toes
of business interests, be they government officials
or journalists, are occasionally gunned down in the
streets.
Klebnikov
Case Given High Priority
By Valeria Korchagina, The Moscow Times, July 13,
2004
"Paul Klebnikov's background and interests ideally
suited him to the task of explaining Russia to Americans
and vice versa," the statement said. "He
was a person who tried to take the best American values
-- fair play, equality and openness -- and apply them
in Russia, a country that he loved."
American
editor of Russian Forbes magazine killed
Gazeta.ru, July 12, 2004
Paul Khlebnikov, 41, had walked out of his office
late on Friday in northeastern Moscow when a car pulled
up and several shots were fired. He died on his way
to hospital.
Investigators
Find Gunmen's Vehicle
By Carl Schreck, The Moscow Times, July 12, 2004
Investigators said they have recovered the car from
which Forbes Russia editor Paul Klebnikov was shot
and killed Friday night, but there was no word that
any suspects had been detained as of Sunday evening.
Forbes
Editor Klebnikov Shot Dead
By Valeria Korchagina, The Moscow Times, July 12,
2004
In the first high-profile murder of a Western journalist
in Russia, Paul Klebnikov, the American editor of
the new Russian edition of Forbes magazine who for
years has relentlessly investigated the dealings of
Russia's rich and powerful, was shot dead after leaving
work Friday evening.
All
Eyes on What May Be Shuster's Last Show
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, July 9, 2004
"Svoboda Slova," one of NTV's most popular
programs and the only political talk show on Russian
television that is broadcast live, will air at 7:35
p.m. Friday in what is widely expected to be its final
show.
NTV
to Abandon 'Freedom of Speech'
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, July 8, 2004
"Svoboda Slova," or "Freedom of Speech," is perhaps
the only remaining program on Russian television that
promotes political debate and allows more or less
unrestricted criticism of the Kremlin.
Russian
Saint
By Alexander Osipovich, The Moscow Times, July 2,
2004
"But this wasn't noticeable, because, as Andrei
Voznesensky formulates it so precisely, he was a Russian
saint: drinking, slovenly, jovial, with a broken destiny
and without the slightest hint of a halo."
Cracking
Down on the Web
By Boris Kagarlitsky, Moscow Times, June 11, 2004
The Internet has long been a headache for those that
wish to uphold public decency. Controlling the enormous
flow of information on the net, chopping, spiking
or "correcting" the innumerable texts and
images lodged on the web is surely the dream of any
censor.
Griogry
Yavlinsky: All the bright journalists have been shut
up in Russia
Rosbalt, June 8, 2004
Yavlinsky is certain that the authorities should be
criticised, “but there should be no insulting.”
“And in general one should not insult any one,
either the authorities, the public or people in jail,”
noted Yavlinsky.
The
Skinny on Campaign Election Coverage
By Alexei Pankin, The Moscow Times, June 8, 2004
In May and June 1996, I served as coordinator of a
program devoted to monitoring press coverage of the
presidential election... ...After the first week of
monitoring, our observers released a report demonstrating
that all of the major television stations, both state-owned
and independent, were actively promoting the incumbent
Boris Yeltsin and giving short shrift to his rivals,
including Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky.
The
TV Might as Well Stay Switched off
By Ilya Zhegulyov, Gazeta.ru, June 2, 2004
NTV's move to sack Leonid Parfyonov and close his
flagship weekly Namedni review program is politically
motivated, Russian politicians, political observers
and human rights champions are convinced. Some of
them interviewed by Gazeta.Ru believe that with Parfyonov's
departure the NTV team of journalists is likely to
fall apart.
The
Media and Terrorism
By Alexander Alekseev, Rosbalt Information Agency,
Translated by David M. Rosbalt, June 6, 2004
It is often said the mass media plays into the hands
of terrorists, covering in detail their acts of terrorism.
On the other hand, informational limitations can turn
into a complete absence of reliable information and
a loss of the media's independence.
NTV
Sends Parfyonov Packing
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, June 3, 2004
Parfyonov was fired for breaking his contract, which
required him to "support the policies of the
company's leadership," according to the statement
signed by NTV general director Nikolai Senkevich.
NTV
fires anchorman Parfyonov over censorship row
Gazeta.ru, June 2, 2004
The move comes just one day after Parfyonov aired
an interview with the widow of a former Chechen rebel
leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, violating orders from
the channel's management. Russian Special Forces had
reportedly ordered NTV's deputy director Alexander
Gerasimov not to air the interview, Russian media
reported.
Russia
- 2004 Annual report
Reporters Without Borders, The 2003 Global Press Freedom
World Tour
Russia saw a further deterioration in press freedom
in 2003. The authorities exploited the public media
during legislative elections and obstructed free coverage
of the campaign to guarantee victory, particularly
in some republics in the Caucuses. A journalist was
kidnapped in Chechnya and another was sentenced to
a prison term for defamation.
Russian
Journalists: "Inner Slave" Restricting Press Freedom
MosNews.com, April 29, 2004
The U.S.-based human rights organization Freedom Watch
released a study document on the decline in press
freedom in many countries including Russia in 2003.
According to the study, after being downgraded from
Partly Free to Not be Free in 2002, Russia continued
on its course of restricting press freedoms.
Ombudsman
Will Help the Novoye Vremya Magazine
Korpunkt.ru, March 25, 2004
"I aim to do all I can to ensure that this magazine
which is the face of Moscow is published again."
The
State and Television
By Yevgeni Kiselyov, Editor-in-Chief of Moskovskiye
Novosti (Moscow News) weekly, MosNews.com, April 16,
2004
Three years ago, when many of my friends and I said
that developments at NTV represented the start of
an attack on democratic rights and freedoms, including
freedom of the press, nobody believed us. We were
mocked, sometimes very crudely and cynically.
I
Am Back Where I Belong
By Yevgenia Albats, The Moscow Times, April 12, 2004
The State Duma has given initial approval to a bill
that would severely restrict the right of assembly.
Shortly after the Duma vote, the Moscow city government
denied the Yabloko party a permit for a May Day demonstration
in downtown Moscow. And finally, the Moscow City Court
convicted arms control researcher Igor Sutyagin of
treason and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.
Duma
Rethinks Ban on Protests
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, April 5, 2004
In the wake of "serious social resonance,"
the State Duma's United Russia majority backpedaled
from outright support of a bill banning rallies in
many public places Friday, just two days after voting
in favor of it.
"YABLOKO"
Supporters Stage a Picket by the Duma
RIA "Novosti", March 31, 2004
Picketers were protesting against the draft law on
rallies, meetings, demonstrations, processions and
pickets, which the Duma will discuss in the first
reading.
Russian
Bill Curbing Mass Rallies Gains
By David Holley, Los Angeles Times, April 1, 2004
In a move that could push protests largely out of
the public eye, Russia's lower house of parliament
gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a law that
would ban demonstrations from a wide range of places,
including areas close to highways, government buildings
and diplomatic missions.
Are
Meetings a Thing of the Past?
Aleksei Levchenko, Rosbalt. Translated by Alex Anderson,
Rosbalt, April 1, 2004
The Duma has adopted a very interesting new law. Deputies
have decided to severely regulate public meetings,
marches and pickets. After carefully reading it, critics
of the new legislation have concluded that the right
to hold any mass meeting will now be in question.
Duma
Bill Sharply Restricts Rallies
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, April 1, 2004
As the United Russia majority in the State Duma gave
preliminary approval to a bill outlawing protests
near government buildings Wednesday, pro-democracy
activists staged a rally outside the Duma's main entrance
to insist on their right to do just that.
Yabloko
Demonstrates Against Restrictions to Freedom of Assembly
MosNews, March 31, 2004
Activists of the Russian liberal party Yabloko held
a protest rally near the building of the State Duma
on Wednesday morning.
Demonstrations
near Embassies to be prohibited in Russia
pravda.ru, March 31, 2004
Demonstrations are addressed to the authorities. How
will the authorities know about popular protests,
if the demonstrations are held in residential areas?
Yabloko
Accuses Government of Violating Constitution
Rosbalt, March 31, 2004
Yabloko says the government's new legislation on limiting
public demonstrations violates the foundation of Russia's
constitution and is aimed at eliminating civil rights
which are guaranteed by Article 31 of the constitution.
A"managed
democracy" does not need free media they are only
a hindrance
By Viktor
Sheinis
Kreml.org, March
14, 2004
The problem is that "managed democracy" does
not need free media, they are only a hindrance. That
is why a policy of stifling the free mass media has
been adopted. In the present situation among television
channels, and to a lesser degree radio and newspapers,
only those controlled by the authorities are really
functioning. We witnessed the demolition of two independent
television companies, one by one.
Deadly
costs of journalism
By Seamus Martin, Baltimore Sun, December 15, 2003
While conspiracy theories abound in Russia, it is
not difficult to understand the suspicions about Shchekochikhin's
death. Strange things have happened to journalists
from Novaya Gazeta and members and supporters of Yabloko.
Television
Newscasts Give Kremlin a Boost
By Anna Dolgov, The Moscow Times, December 5, 2003
President Vladimir Putin has said on a number of occasions
that he would like to see United Russia win the Duma
elections, and praised the party again in a lengthy
interview that aired on all three main channels last
Friday.
Are
Mass Media Free in Russia?
By Vitali Tretyakov, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, November
19, 2003
First of all we need to specify one of the key notions
- the matter under discussion here concerns freedom
of the press (freedom to relate various facts and
opinions in the media) and not freedom of speech.
Russian
journalists to list would-be MPs according to their
stance on media freedom
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, November 12, 2003
A long-forgotten word from the Soviet era was revived
yesterday: nakaz or "wish list".
Wealth:
wild card in Russian election
By Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, November
13, 2003
"Previously hidden conflicts have emerged into
the open, and now there is a real issue to fight the
election on: Will Russia slide back into a police
state or turn decisively toward the European model
of democracy and human rights."
Court
Frees Up Election Coverage
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, October 31,
2003
The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled as unconstitutional
one part of the law that restricts media coverage
of election campaigns, and in doing so, gave journalists
more room to do their jobs, critics of the law said.
Constitutional
Court To Decide Freedom of Speech Issue
By Dmitry Chirkin, pravda.ru, October 17, 2003
The founder of scientific socialism used to say: "History
repeats itself twice: first as a tragedy, and then
as farce." For the sixth or 56th time, history
repeats itself as unbelievable marasm.
Live
TV debates cause first election scuffle
By Ksenia Solyanskaya, Gazeta.ru, October 17, 2003
On Friday, the State Duma’s deputies are to
review the draft address to the management of two
leading state-run television networks, Channel One,
and Rossia, with the request to broadcast election
debates live.
Russia:
Constitutional Court Hears First Cases On Controversial
New Media Law
By Sophie Lambroschini, Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe,
October 15, 2003
In a surprise decision, Russia's Constitutional Court
has agreed to hear four different appeals against
the new legislation brought by three journalists and
more than 100 State Duma deputies.
Courageous
Pen
Transcript by Nadezhda Prusenkova, Novaya Gazeta,
October 13, 2003
The more principles a person has in life, the more
obstacles and problems there are in his life and the
more strength he needs not to break down.
Stick
Without a Carrot
By Daria Gusyeva and Maksim Balutenko, Vremya Novostei,
October 2, 2003
The Monitoring Council for the election campaign is
not functioning yet, but some political parties are
on the verge of recalling their representatives from
this structure.
Russian
media warned under strict new law
By Nick Paton Walsh, The Guardian (UK), October 2,
2003
The weekly magazines Kommersant Vlast and Tverskaya
13 were both served with warnings this week after
they published articles about the Moscow mayoral election.
United
Russia Conquers the Air
By Anna Dolgov, The Moscow Times, September 24, 2003
The pro-Kremlin United Russia party is getting by
far the widest and most favorable coverage on all
the major television channels ahead of parliamentary
elections, monitoring conducted by The Moscow Times
over the past week indicates.
100
Deputies Challenge Media Restrictions
By Francesca Mereu, The Moscow Times, September 24,
2003
"We think that they are against the Russian Constitution,
which guarantees freedom in spreading information,"
deputy SPS leader Alexander Barannikov said Tuesday.
Can
Media Cover the Elections?
Editorial, The Moscow Times, September 12, 2003
Presumably, the Kremlin did not shepherd the new legislation
through parliament in order for it to trip up the
president or silence two of the Kremlin's most important
propaganda organs.
'Meet
the press' in Russia meets the new censor
By Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, September
16, 2003
It smacks strongly of Soviet times - except that today's
censors are not Communist Party hacks planted in editorial
offices, but the managers of media outlets themselves.
Press
freedom list: Russia ranked 121st out of 139
rbc.ru, September 10, 2003
North Korea is at the bottom of the list, as the country
with least press freedom, and China is ranked 138th.
The United States, which always boasts about its democratic
traditions, ranks 17th.
Putin
puts 'Soviet' bar on poll coverage
Nick Paton Walsh in Moscow, Guardian Unlimited, September
9, 2003
The Kremlin has introduced a draconian election law
which threatens the media with closure if they give
details of candidates' personal lives or analyse their
policies.
Media
law changes provoke concern about press freedom
BBC Monitoring, August 8, 2003
Many in the media and political establishment view
the changes as a rollback of a decade of media freedoms
and a threat to free speech and free elections, particularly
in the regions.
Press
Ministry Pulls the Plug on TVS
By Anna Dolgov, The Moscow Times, June 23, 2003
TVS was the last private national channel, and its
closure gives the Kremlin a monopoly on the airwaves
ahead of December's parliamentary elections and the
March presidential vote.
Silence
of the Lambs
Vremya MN, June 19, 2003
In other words, the majority of the lower house voted
to remove citizens of Russia and the media from the
election process. No more free and democratic elections
in Russia.
Special
Regime for Media
By Olga Redichkina and Alexei Redichkin, Gazeta, June
16, 2003
...according to the amendments, any media outlet -
print or electronic media - can be shut down during
an election campaign if the court finds it guilty
of violating electoral legislation twice. The draft
law contained no list of violations, thereby leaving
it up to the court to decide each case "on the
spot" every time.
To
the 50th Anniversary of Radio Free Europe - Radio
Liberty
Address by Grigory Yavlinsky to the conference devoted
to the 50th Anniversary of Radio Free Europe - Radio
Liberty conducted in Prague, on June 6, 2003
It would not be an overstatement to say that RFE/RL
is the most reliable source of objective political
information about world events and, even more importantly,
Russian politics.
Russian
journalists pessimistic about media developments in
the country
TVS television channel, May 16, 2003
The vulnerability of journalists as well as of other
owners of media agencies that critcise the authorities
was identified as the main problem at the congress
today.
Veshnyakov:
Freedom of Speech in a Labyrinth
Interview with Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission
Alexander Veshnyakov By Anna Feofilaktova, Moskovsky
Komsomolets, April 25, 2003
Russia's journalists are in a panic: fairly soon,
the sight of newspapers or televisions being shut
down could become commonplace. The Central Electoral
Commission (CEC), the Media Ministry and finally the
courts would merely have to decide whether journalists
were not objective in their coverage of a certain
presidential or parliamentary candidate or were praising
another candidate too much.
A
Nightmare for Journalists
By Marina Ozerova and Liuba Shariy, Moskovsky Komsomolets,
March 28, 2003
Sure, one may say: don't break the rules, and everything
will be okay. Yet our laws are written to permit two
or three possible interpretation of their meaning.
Meanwhile, unfortunately, one cannot rely on the Russian
courts as the most humane and independent courts in
the world.
Duma
Eyes Election Violations
By Nabi Abdullaev, The Moscow Times, March 26, 2003
With parliamentary and presidential elections looming,
the State Duma passed in the first reading Friday
a raft of amendments that toughen penalties for electoral
violations by individuals and the media.
Duma
to silence mass media before elections
By Marina Sokolovskaya, Natalia Rostova, gazeta.ru,
March 24, 2003
The State Duma has given initial approval to a presidential
draft law that makes amendments to legislation governing
the activity of media outlets during election campaigns.
The deputies, however, have ignored the concerns expressed
by the media over the draft law.
Russia
Fares Badly in Press Freedom Rankings
Rosbalt, March 17, 2003
Finland, Iceland, Norway and the Netherlands are the
countries with the highest levels of press freedom.
This conclusion was reached by the Reporters sans
Frontieres (Reporters without Frontiers) charity,
which today published a press freedom index on its
website.
The
Internet-press to be closed in Karelia
"Web-planeta", February 27, 2003
Head of the Centre for Political and Social Studies
of Karelia Anatoli Tzigankov said that the closing
on February 12, 2002, of the web-site Politika.Karelia.Ru
represents "fight against independent opinions".
YABLOKO:
freedom of speech in Russia's media is shrinking like
shagreen leather
Rosbalt, February 25, 2003
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.
Media
freedom under threat, states Russian opposition party
Interfax, February 25, 2003
Moscow, 25 February: The Russian democratic party
Yabloko has said that "The freedom of the media
in Russia is in danger".
Open Letter, January 16, 2003
Most
respected Mr. President,
We are concerned about developments in the Republic
of Belarus concerning Russian media. Broadcasts of
Mayak (Ed. "Beacon"), Yunost (Ed. "Youth"),
and Golos Rossii (Ed. "Voice of Russia")
that have for many years constituted a key source
of information for the citizens of Belarus, have been
closed.
Putin
Vetoes Media Curbs
The Moscow Times, By Andrei Zolotov Jr., November
26, 2002.
Meeting with a select group of media managers, President
Vladimir Putin announced Monday evening that he had
heeded their plea and vetoed the restrictive amendments
to the laws on media and terrorism.
Putin
Urged to Reject Law Amendments
Assoicated Press, By Eric Engleman, November 20, 2002
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's leading news organizations,
including state television, urged President Vladimir
Putin on Wednesday to reject tough new restrictions
on terrorism coverage adopted by parliament following
the Moscow theater siege.
Free-speech
advocates urge Putin not to sign anti-terrorism legislation
that limits media's rights
Associated Press, By Sarah Karush, November 14, 2002
MOSCOW - Anti-terrorism legislation passed
by Russia's upper house of parliament this week threatens
to unravel Russia's fragile democracy if it is signed
into law, liberal lawmakers and free speech advocates
said Thursday.
Russia's
upper house of parliament approves restrictive media
amendments
Associated Press, By Steve Gutterman, November 13,
2002
MOSCOW - Russia's upper house of parliament on Wednesday
approved new amendments to the media law, paving the
way for presidential approval of legislation that
would severely curb news coverage of anti-terrorist
operations and prohibit the media from carrying rebel
statements.
Putin
Was Advised to Pardon the Press
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, By Lidia Andrusenko and Ivan
Rodin, November 21, 2002
Next week Vladimir Putin must sign amendments to the
law on the media passed by the Duma and approved by
the Federation Council. Or veto this bill which, corrected
by the deputies and senators, imposes considerable
restraints on a journalist’s freedom of speech.
The President has to make a difficult choice: either
to appear before the public (especially Western) as
the head of state who actually introduced censorship
in the country, or remain a democrat in spite of everything...
YABLOKO
holds demonstration near the Federation Council
Gazeta.ru, November 13, 2002
Existing economic mechanisms only achieve the very
narrow goal of maintaining the present The The Moscow
police breaks up small demonstration by YABLOKO activists
against the amendments to the law on the mass media.
Paper
Survives Threats, Murder, Success
 The
Moscow Times, By Natalia Yefimova, November 14, 2002
ELISTA, Kalmykia -- For a tiny opposition newspaper
in an autocratic republic, Sovietskaya Kalmykia Segodnya
has survived a great deal: a shutout by local printers
and distributors, threats, arson and, most harrowing
of all, the brutal murder in 1998 of editor Larisa
Yudina.
Russian
media. Opposition voice concern over reporting restrictions
AFP, November 13, 2002
Russian media and opposition members voiced concern
Wednesday after the upper house approved a controversial
amendment on media laws that would severely restrict
the freedom of the press to cover anti-terrorist operations.
Russian
Lawmakers OK Media Limits
Associated Press, By Steve Gutterman, November 13,
2002
MOSCOW (AP) - Russian lawmakers approved media law
amendments Wednesday that critics charge would severely
curb coverage of anti-terrorist operations and prohibit
news outlets from carrying rebel statements. Presidential
approval is still needed to make the changes law.
Duma
Votes to Limit News Coverage
The Moscow Times, By Natalia Yefimova, November 4,
2002
MOSCOW, Sept. 27 - Energy executives and government
officials from Russia and the United States will meet
in Houston next week to discuss energy cooperation
at a time when concerns FSB officers taking away a
computer Friday from the office of Versia, which was
preparing an account of the hostage crisis.
Mystery
Proposal Could Subjugate Minatom to Three Government
Bodies Lawmakers say report had president`s "full
attention"
Bellona Group, Norway. By Charles Digges. 30 July
2002
MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering
a document delivered to him by Yabloko Party leader
Grigory Yavlinsky, outlining a plan that would subjugate
the monolithic Nuclear Power Ministry, or Minatom,
to three government bodies, stripping away the Stalinesque
opacity that helped drive the arms race and continues
to shroud its civilian pursuits in secrecy.
Yavlinsky
Wins Suit Against St. Petersburg Paper
Radio Liberty. Media Matters. 23 August, 2002.
Russian
author refuses to answer police questions in pornography
case that has raised fears of censorship
Associated Press, By ERIC ENGLEMAN, July 29, 2002
MOSCOW - An iconoclastic Russian writer
under investigation for disseminating pornography
in his novel that depicts sexual contact between Soviet
leaders Josef Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev refused
to answer police questions Monday and called the investigation
of his writings absurd.
Lawmakers
Present A Liberal Media Bill
By Andrei Zolotov Jr. The Moscow Times, July 5, 2002.
A group of influential lawmakers announced Thursday
that it has drafted a new mass media law that aims
to discourage the government from owning media outlets
and introduce a European-style concept of public media.
12,000
Altai Teachers Protest
The Moscow Times, May 29, 2002
About 12,000 teachers in the Altai
region kicked off a nationwide campaign Tuesday for
education reform and higher wages, Interfax reported.
Teachers unions in the western Siberian region are
collecting signatures through Saturday for a petition
to President Vladimir Putin. Other regions will join
the drive, Interfax said.
Statement
on the trial against Novaya Gazeta newspaper
All-Russia Democratic Assembly and
the Guild of Court Reporters. April 8, 2002
Russian politics for an outsider looks
like a panopticum, where you can see all types of
monsters. There are monsters that can devour a whole
economic sector in an instant, people who like weather-vanes
start rotating speedily at the smallest breeze Basmanny
Intermunicipal Court in Moscow adopted two unprecedented
decisions, obliging the editing house of Novaya Gazeta
to pay compensation for moral damage of THIRTY and
FIFTEEN MILLION ROUBLES. Clearly, if these decisions
come into force, the readers will never see Novaya
Gazeta again
Novaya
Gazeta Could Get a Reduced Fine
The Moscow Times, April 9, 2002
Novaya Gazeta appears to have reached
a compromise with the Krasnodar judge who won an unprecedented
$1 million libel suit that threatened to bankrupt
the newspaper. Novaya Gazeta representatives and Judge
Alexander Chernov, who had sued the newspaper for
defamation, met Friday and agreed that Chernov would
write to a higher court asking that the amount of
fine be cut "to a reasonable level," while
the newspaper would acknowledge errors in its reporting.
Grigory
Yavlinsky: Beginning of broadcasting of Radio Liberty
in Chechen is "not very tactful" towards
Russia
Ekho Moskvi radio station, April
4, 2002
The decision of Radio Liberty to start
broadcasting in Chechen is "not very tactful
towards Russia, considering the present relationships
between Russia and the USA, as well as the acute situation
in the Northern Caucasus." This opinion was expressed
by the leader of the YABLOKO faction in the State
Duma of the RF Grigory Yavlinsky in an interview with
the Ekho Moskvi radio station.
Lawmakers
reshuffle committee posts, forcing Communist Party
to lose top positions
Associated Press, April 4, 2002
MOSCOW - The Russian government
lashed out Thursday at U.S.-funded Radio Liberty,
saying its first broadcasts to the North Caucasus
region were biased in favor of Chechen rebels.
Grigory
Yavlinsky: federal mass media in Russia subject to
political censorship
Rosbalt, March 26, 2002
Pskov, March 25. “People who don’t
enjoy freedom of information cannot create a compatible
21st century economy,” stated the leader of YABLOKO
Grigory Yavlinsky in his comments on freedom of speech
in Russia for journalists in Pskov.
Accepting the Inevitable
Vremya Novostei, January 14, 2002
Not surprisingly, there is some weariness in politicians’
comments about TV6 – most were used during the recent
conflict around NTV. These two stories have a lot
in common - the same team headed by the same leader,
Yevgeni Kiselev, faces the same situation again.
Television:
Yes-Yes-No-Yes
Grigory Yavlinsky, Novaya Gazeta, February
18, 2002
Recently television has been transformed into a powerful
instrument used to manipulate public opinion. This
began approximately in 1993, after the unforgettable
referendum "Yes-Yes-No-Yes" and the events
by the White House (Ed. shooting of parliament). By
1996 television had already been transformed into
a weapon exploited by Boris Yeltsin to ensure election
for a second term of office.
Grigory Yavlinsky proposes the creation
of a public television channel financed and controlled
by society
Polit.ru, February 19, 2002
The Yabloko faction will soon submit to the State
Duma a law on public television. This was announced
by the leader of the Yabloko party and its faction
in the State Duma Grigory Yavlinsky in an interview
with the "Geroi Dnya" (Hero of the Day)
programme of NTV channel.
Interview - Russian Opposition
Leader Says No Free Speech
By Neil Chatterjee,
Reuters, February 12, 2002
LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters)
- The leader of Russia's liberal opposition, Grigory
Yavlinsky, says political freedom of speech in the
country is dead following last month's closure of
its only independent nationwide television station.
"Freedom of speech is finished -- in a political
sense," Yavlinsky told Reuters in an interview
on Monday.
Bush concerned about shutdown
of TV6
Associated Press,
January 25, 2002
WASHINGTON - The shutdown of independent Moscow station
TV6 is a continuing concern for President George W.
Bush, the White House said Thursday.
Everyone Has the Right
Vremya Novostei,
January 24, 2002
No one should have a monopoly over the airwaves; and
even ownership rights may be restricted to ensure
that this is the case. This was the considered conclusion
of the Union of Right-WIng Forces (SPS) faction of
the Duma, which has discussed the conflict over TV-6.
The SPS leader Boris Nemtsov even has a formula for
demonopolizing the media industry - which he has already
shared with President Vladimir Putin.
Media Freedom Discussed in Russia
Associated
Press, January 14, 2002
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's
top broadcasting official said Monday that his office
is working on bidding procedures for the broadcast
license held by TV6, the independent TV station that
lost a legal battle to prevent its closure.
Oil Co. Wants to Buy TV Rights
By ANGELA
CHARLTON, Associated Press Writer, January 12, 2002
MOSCOW (AP) - After persuading a court to shut down
Russia's largest independent television network, a
subsidiary of the country's biggest oil company said
Saturday it wants to buy the channel's broadcasting
rights.
Russian TV Station Ordered to Close
Associated
Press, January 11, 2002
MOSCOW (AP) - A court ordered the closure of the last
national television network outside the government's
control Friday - a decision prompting concern about
media freedom in Russia.
A Tale of 2 Liberal Parties and
2 Contests
By Andrei Zolotov Jr.,
The Moscow Times, October 25, 2001,
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